Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Tuesday September 20, 2011

As we live life hopefully to the glory of God and are enjoying Him along the way we do hit a few brick walls along the way. I have been learning the value of identifying who and what I am in Christ and thus saving myself, family and friends a lot of pain.

Most of you at least know a little about me and therefore know of some of the pain my family and I have suffered along the way. The prominent pain is the loss of status among peers and the lesser though painful loss of most things material. The question often arises, "Larry how on earth are you able to continue?" The answer while not simple should be and here is why.

I am a Christian and thus have a personal relationship with Christ who loved me and gave Himself for me. When I think on this and the implications I find an inner peace that none of the things lost ever produced in my heart. The Word of God has enabled me to identify with Christ and His status and thus my true status never changes in Him.

Patrick Morley commented on this when he wrote "Men who achieve significant positions of responsibility and authority in this life run the greatest risks. The risk is to identify who you are as a person with the position."

The old line has it about a man who had risen to the heights and suddenly plummeted into disgrace and later told the story of a young person walking up to him in a hotel and asking, "Didn’t you used to be somebody?" "Used to be somebody" is more painful than never having been in the rarified climes reached and then suffer the downward slide or more often, plunge.

Women who often mistakenly gain their sense of identify via the achievements of their husbands really suffer enormous pain when the husband plunges and then they suffer even more if in the midst of this life storm the husband bails out on them. Keep in mind Christ is never going to plunge downward or bail out on us.

I am certain the teachings of Christ and his Apostles give a correct perspective on this and stated simply it is this: We must learn to revel in who we are in Christ and understand the status which this personal ownership of Christ over us brings to our heart and soul. Whatever our earthly value to others, we have this assurance from Christ in Luke 12:6-7 "Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows." (Emphasis mine).

Paul deals with the status issue wonderfully in Romans 8:17 "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." Strongs has the last phrase as meaning "To exalt to dignity in company." The company meaning with Christ. When you grasp this you really enjoy a peace in your heart that the world never gave and thus cannot take away.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2011 Use with credit

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