What are you wearing?

This is a queston which many of us do not want to be asked, as it's usually said in a derogatory manner!

Galatians 3:27 states; 'for as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ'

Now, to me, that sounds kinda weird! to 'have put on Christ', it's not often you say, oooh, today i am going to wear Christ, how can you wear a person??

In responding lihe this I realise that I am probably responding how the world would - Being a christian doesn't make a whole lot of sense to many people. 

But, the Bible says that those who have been baptised, 'have put on Christ', so as someone who has been baptised i'd better try to understand what this means as it applies to me! 

The act of baptism is symbolising our uderstanding and faith that Jesus died for us because of all the things we have done wrong, and our recognition that if we want to be made right, we too need to lay down our selfish lives for God. 

In baptism, as we rise out of the water, we remember that we have chosen to live a new life, and aim to become more like the only perfect man to have ever walked the Earth, Jesus. This is when we choose to 'put on Christ', we are grateful that God sees us now as He sees Jesus, and we are more conscious that the way we live represents Him.

As we wear Jesus, he covers us, he covers over the inner workings of our hearts, as well as the shape/state/health of our bodies. This level of relationship is so intomate that we even look like Jesus. When God sees us, He sees Jesus, when others in our lives see us, they see Jesus. 

When people choose to put on Christ, they are more aware of different things. As we are aware when we get dressed that clothes are going to keep us warm/cool. This can work out in a many different ways, this may be an increased awareness of certain; people, needs, problems, solutions, words, behaviour, or places for example. God can give us a more acute awareness of what He sees in the world that He wishes us to have an influence in.

Through choosing a relationship with God, we are choosing to represent Him.

Like when we put on clothes, we are giving out an image of who we are. Eventhough I have been a christian for many years, I still need to be careful how i choose to represent Jesus, how am I going to respond to different situations? will I speak up so the vulnerable are heard? Can I spare a few minutes to visit someone who is sick/lonely/in need or even write them a card? How should I behave/respond to the one person (or maybe there are a few) who seem to make my life difficult? 

What should I wear today?

Hearing by Faith

I was reading Galatians:1-5 this morning, and I was struck by the repetition of the phrases, 'works of the law' and 'hearing by faith'. 

It got me thinking of the differences between these, and what these phrases actually mean. We hear them so often we can assume that we understand what they mean as they trip off our tongue. so, I spent a bit of time thinking about it and this is what I came up with;

'works of the law' - the hardwork of abiding by the instructions/rules without any context. This can be draining, confusing and boring! 

Thinking about it though, this is so easy to do, when we have busy lives (and who doesn't?!), it's so easy to go with the flow, carry on doing things naturally like we're on a default setting. 

I do it, you know when you pray and read the Bible, give, help out others because it's routine. It's like we are performing in a certain way because, 'it's the right thing to do'. 

{Sometimes, it's right to do this, i'm not saying stop doing those things because the reality is, life gets hard sometimes, and it is a struggle, and if we can keep feeding ourselves with what is good, then that can still change our hearts despite our attitude.}

  

'hearing with faith' - taking time to focus and concentrate in order to benefit through the strength of the trusting relationship that has been built.

Thinking about this this morning I have realised that this involves TIME. Time that is set apart to spend with God, reading the Word and praying. So, I have set time out in my diary to do that. If I don't, it wont happen. also, if I don't, I miss out on what God wants me to hear. 

After pondering on this I was led to draw, and the result is below:

I then thought about how living by works of the law can seem comfortable and safe, like being in the cage although it restricts what we are able to see and do. We are provided for and have the basics we need. Hearing with faith however allows us to experience the abundance of what God has for us. 

I was quite happy with this interpretation, until I thought about what happens when the storms come? the night sets in? the enemy attacks? being free and out in the open can then suddenly seem pretty lonely and terrifying! The cage is secure. 

I felt that God was reminding me that you have to have a bit of both. It is ok to rest and re-coop in His safety, we will ALWAYS need His word and prayer in order to fuel us for living by the Spirit. 

It is so easy to see the 'law' as old-fashioned, out-of-date, but it is actually foundational and revelatory. Each person who lives by faith has a place where their foundation was born. This probably originated, or has certainly grown strength in the Word of God, and speaking to Him. 

I know that this has challenged me, maybe because I recognise that although we can often sneer at those we read about in the Bible, thinking 'haven't they got it yet'? 'how many chances do they need?'

 

but I now see, I am one of those. 

I have often realised that I should spend more time with God, but I still slip into the 'works' of life, and trundle on. That is what it is, trundling, not getting very far, but it's hard work. 

I decide anew, now, to make an extra effort to 'hearing with faith' what God has to say to me, through His word and prayer.