LENTEN MEDITATION 9 ~ Relating through CHRIST
For the Year of Our LORD, 2.14.2008
With all lowliness and meekness,
with longsuffering,
forbearing one another in love,
endeavoring to keep the unity of the SPIRIT in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one SPIRIT, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one LORD, one faith, one baptism, one GOD and FATHER of all,
Who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Ephesians 4: 3-6
There is simply no excuse for divisions. The Apostle Paul wrote this to the church in Ephesus while he was imprisoned. Do we notice the concern on his heart? He did not mention his own well-being. His concern was for the ONENESS in the Body of CHRIST. Are we that concerned… while we are at liberty?
Assuming we Brethren of CHRIST are all trying to walk in unity and concord with one another, how can we be at one with someone who belongs to CHRIST JESUS… yet with whom we disagree or who disagrees with us? How can we walk as one with our spouse or family members with whom we disagree?
With all lowliness and meekness,
with longsuffering,
forbearing one another in love…
We do this by knowing one another through CHRIST JESUS.
Dear Sister Brigid of the Desert Companions of St. Anthony has with great insight pointed this out, “We do not relate directly to that person, but we relate to him/her as through CHRIST.”
The Apostle Paul tells us that we are dead and our life is hid with CHRIST …in GOD. This means that our acquaintances, friendships, and yes, even relationships within the family circle now must go through CHRIST before they reach that other person.
To put it simply, The LORD filters all our interactions before they come out of us.
We submit our old-man emotions to The LORD.
We submit our desires to The LORD.
We submit our thoughts to The LORD.
Thus, we allow the LORD to modify
or to change our emotions
before they take root in our heart
and come forth out of our mouth.
HE+ has us to lift our demands away from others. We take our demands that the other person “be there” for us and treat us rightly… to The LORD. We lay those demands down on the altar of love to The LORD, for HIM+ to consume by HIS+ Holy fire. We make our demands an offering of Self unto HIM+, dying daily.
When we offer up Self on such a deep level, HE+ takes it and refills us with HIMSELF+. We become one with CHRIST JESUS instead of trying to be one with others. We live, then, inside a Reservation… a place Reserved Only for JESUS. We then know HIM+ as our shield and buckler and high tower whereunto we run. HE+ meets all our needs, for we are complete in HIM+ (Col. 2:10).
When that deep, dying-out to Self is accomplished, then nothing can touch our inner man except CHRIST HIMSELF+.
And, touch us, HE+ does !
HE+ fills us with love, joy, and peace
which the world cannot receive.
But, all can sense it and want it, too.
Then will be brought to pass
that marvelous Word from the mouth of The LORD JESUS CHRIST:
And I, if I be lifted up from the earth,
I will draw all men unto ME+.
~ ~ ~
Let us pray:
Dear Heavenly FATHER, through your SON our Gracious LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST… how I long to be ONE with THEE+. O LORD, help me to lay my demands on others at the foot of Thy cross. I’m sorry I have looked to human flesh to fill up my heart’s needs. I’m sorry I have wanted my acquaintances, relatives, family and friends to make me feel good about myself. I bring those needs to You, my Savior and Friend.
O LORD, fill me now with Your goodness. I lay wide open my heart to You, my Savior. I’ll stay at Your Feet, O LORD, until I can go forth in Your name and for Your purposes… in order to draw all men unto THEE+ … instead of unto myself.
This I pray, O HOLY FATHER, in the brokenness of my life and heart, through the precious, Life-giving name of Our LORD and Savior JESUS CHRIST…Who+ liveth and reigneth with THEE, in the unity of Thy HOLY SPIRIT, ONE GOD, forever and ever. Amen.
