WHERE WOULD YOU BE
When was the last time you thoughtfully reflected on the question: Where would you be without Christ?
It’s easy isn’t it, to simply take being a Christian for granted. Having become our new identity, it’s quite easy to go through the motions of our faith, without serious reflection on just where we’d be without Christ.
We forget what we were, and the trajectory our lives would have taken were it not for Christ intervening in our life. I often think of the Apostle Paul’s descriptions of himself in his writings. I ravaged the church, dragging men and women from their homes, having them flogged. I hunted down the Christians, harming them in every way I could. I breathed out threats and murder against the Lord’s disciples. I scoffed at the name of Christ. I went everywhere trying to devastate the church. I drug men and women from their homes and threw them in jail. I cast my vote to have them put to death. I often forced them by torture to deny their religion. I caused many to be sent to prison. I violently opposed them and had them whipped in the synagogue. I violently persecuted the church and devastated it. I was the worst of sinners.
Holy smoke, what a cruel, wicked man! Paul the terrorist, who enjoyed inflicting pain and suffering on others.
I have always been blessed by the Apostle Paul’s honesty. It was this vivid remembering that caused him such deep gratitude, such passionate, unwavering love and devotion to Jesus Christ. As the Scripture says – Those who are forgiven much, love much! The Apostle Paul never, ever forgot where he came from, what he was, and what he would have been, had it not been for Christ!
I have often reflected on where I would be today without Christ. I shudder to think of it. I would have destroyed my life. Destroyed my marriage, if I would have married at all. I’d be so blind, so corrupt, so deceived, so driven by my passions and rage. I’d be filled with cynicism, extremely unhappy, brooding, ungrateful, without peace or hope. I would have continued being a rebellious fool. I’d be addicted to sin, devoid of any real joy. Living a meaningless, empty life. Rather than using my life to help so many people, I would have spent my life hurting so many people. I would have been alone, and probably died alone as well. It’s not a pretty picture, but it is exactly where I was headed. If my carnal flesh ruled my life, what a destructive mess I would be.
Thank God for His indescribable gift, Christ, to me!
I want to encourage you today to take some time, give serious, personal reflection to the question – Where would you be without Christ? Don’t just give it a passing thought, with the trite response, “Oh, I’d be so lost, so broken.” Really think about it, flesh it out, put meat on its bones, color it in for yourself, for then you will see ever more clearly, and feel ever more deeply, what Christ has done for you!
Remember all He’s saved you from, and kept you from becoming!
This regular habit has been one of my great spiritual secrets. For those who are forgiven much, who understand clearly how much they have been forgiven, love much! But those who are forgiven little, love little.
Please take the time to hear this powerful, uplifting message!
https://strongdisciple.com/
Helping you become a Strong Disciple,
Because of Jesus,
Pastor Mark Darling
