Christ is God's last Word!

As I spent time reading the first chapter of The Saving Life of Christ by Major Ian W. Thomas, I found myself perplexed at a very simple statement he makes: "Christ is God's last word to man and God's last word to you, and He demands an answer." I have spent the entire day with these simple words in my mind because they are not as simple as they sound.

When you consider the fact that Jesus was the Incarnate Word of God (John1:1, 14), and you allow yourself to be submerged in the Truth that, after 400 years of silence, God spoke by sending His only Son that whosoever believes in Him shall have eternal life (John 3:16) something inside of you must be moved. It was impossible for me to read that God spoke His last Word and as a result He demands a response, without having to analyze the response I choose to give Him everyday. I realized today that if I intend to understand the words of Paul in Philippians 1:21 ( For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain), I must take a close look at what God told me through His last Word and what He requires of me.

The last Word that God spoke was the ultimate expression of love and sacrifice. He did not give a part of Himself, or even chose to keep a bit of His breath; JESUS GAVE IT ALL! Jesus DIED on that cross!!! I am not sure if this means anything to you, but today this has taken a new meaning. God died so that I can live!! He DEMANDS that I would do the same. That is why He says whoever loves His life will loose it, and whoever hates his life will gain it (John 12:25). The ONLY way I will be able to live is if I DIE. The last Word of God demands that I would respond with a willingness to die. Once I do this, then He can perform the ultimate miracle of LIVING in and through me.

As the years have gone by since I met the Lord, I always had the head knowledge of the fact that God lives in me, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27)). I have spent my walk with the Lord begging God to give ME strength, to give ME wisdom, to give Me... what only He can possess. God did not Die so that He could empower us to accomplish the very things He desires to do Himself in and through us. God died so that He could live in us; so that HE could once again demonstrate His power. If we are in Christ, we ought not to ask for strength because we are made complete in Him; He IS our strength.

I admit that I am still trying to grasp how all of this works, yet I know that something amazing has happened. I finally understand that to live is Christ and to die is gain!!! When I finally choose to die, then and only then will He live in Me.