“Since, then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts of the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on the things above, not on earthly things.  For you have died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:1-3

Recently I bought two bookshelves for our new place from Ikea, which sells everything disassembled to take home to be put together.  As I tried to lift the heavy long and narrow box of packed shelf pieces out of the car, it would not budge.  My strength alone was not enough to carry its weight.  I had to recruit help from my oldest son and with one of us on each end, we were able to handily lift the boxes out of the car and into my living room floor.  The saying holds true that many hands, make light work.  Having a full scope of our position in Christ gives force to our frail self efforts toward spiritual growth even when the weight of adversity or discouragement tempts to set in.  In Christ we are made new, have access to his throne and are protected in His heavenly adobe even now.

The moment we surrender ourselves to Christ, we are made anew and freely given his indwelling Spirit.  Jesus already bore the weight and punishment of all sins—past, present and future for believers.  Our slavery to sin is lifted through Christ blood-bought birthright into the family of God.  We are united to Christ in His death and resurrection through faith in him.  The amazing thing is that Jesus prays and accomplishes the answer to his prayer that we would be one with God through himself, “that they may be one as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you have loved me.” John 22:22b-23.

One of the best parts of being united with Christ is that we get to enjoy the privileges of his sonship to soar to His throne of grace through prayer.  Jesus gives us VIP access to our heavenly Father above.  Therefore, it is only fitting that we look to him and set our thoughts upward in prayer with heavenly purposes in our daily living.  We are nearsighted if we miss the great power of heaven’s kingdom abiding within us and able to work through His Spirit in our lives and for those around us.

The wonder and glory of faith in Christ that God graciously grants us is not to be hoarded and kept stored away in our privacy of our homes.   In Christ’s death, we have died to ourselves in order that we would live onto God and shine his truth and love to the watching world.  This high calling is the most fulfilling and joyful in all of history; yet it is not pain-free.  On the contrary, it is filled with temptations, hardship and trials.  However, as children of God, we are protected by the Almighty.  We are hidden with Christ in God.  He wraps us around the shadows of his strong wings and hides us from prevailing harm.   He will not allow us to be overcome, but secures our faith to withstand all hell.