 My oldest daughter and I share a very special song which reminds us of each other every time we hear it. Two years ago we played it at her wedding as we danced together for that "special dance". She cried and I sniffled. It's called You Raise Me Up, and is sung by Josh Grobin. The lyrics go like this:
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains; You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas; I am strong, when I am on your shoulders; You raise me up: To more than I can be. She says that she adds the letter "d" to the word "raise", because it describes what she feels that I have done for her. I think that's so sweet, and it always moves me to tears when I think about it. Every time I hear it, it reminds me of my wonderful daughter who lives so far away.
But this song also reminds me of my position with God in Jesus Christ. "He raised me up!" the Apostle Paul says.
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience...but God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us...made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and RAISED US UP TOGETHER, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Eph 2:1-6 That's a powerful promise; it's also a powerful position to be in! It's why the disciples had such enthusiastic joy after God blessed and anointed them with the filling of His Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. God had RAISED THEM UP to fellowship with the risen Jesus Christ. "It's to your advantage that I go away", Jesus told the Disciples. "If I depart I will send the Helper to you." (John 16:7) And when that Helper arrived to fill their hearts with His holy presence, He immediately RAISED THEM UP to share in the power of Christ's resurrected life at the throne above. They actually entered into a new and deeper fellowship with Jesus than they had ever experienced before -- it was an intimate and eternal fellowship with the One who sits in glory. And by the indwelling of His Holy Spirit, they were raised to that position too. Have you entered into that higher fellowship with Him?
This promise speaks volumes about what we can experience in our day to day walk with Christ. It holds out the hope that when we turn our eyes upon Jesus and look full in His wonderful face, we can "walk on water" like the Apostle Peter. We can live with Christ in heavenly places. This is what the Apostle Paul was trying to get at when he wrote:
If then you were RAISED WITH CHRIST, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:1-4) There's that "place" again -- Up Above! That place where Jesus keeps His wonderful and abundant storehouse of heavenly treasures. That place where we can hide from life's pain by living in His peace and joy. That place where He can make us abundant and strong for daily living. "For my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. " (Philippians 4:19)
God raised you up, my friends, through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. And you must LOOK UP to experience His peace and joy! When Peter looked squarely in the eyes of Jesus as they walked on the stormy water, he was LOOKING UP to the strength of the One who's enthroned above. And as he did that he received God's abundance and provision for that stormy moment. I mean, think about it -- for just a few moments he walked on water with Jesus Christ.
But then, like so many of us, he began to look down at the stormy circumstances that raged around him. And he allowed fear to grip his heart. That's when he began to sink. That's when his situation overwhelmed him. Have you experienced that too?
God raised you UP in Jesus Christ to experience the fellowship of His Beloved Son who sits upon His throne -- to experience the joy and the power and the thrill of living with Jesus Christ way up above the fray! But to experience this you need to look UP ABOVE instead of down here below. Virtually everyone I know who has experienced a long-term fear, anxiety, or depression has been looking down below, setting their mind on the things that swirl around them.
Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (Psalm 43:5)
Look up to the Lord your God! To the place where He has already raised you! Look up to that place of strength! Look up to the Son of God! Because, this friends, is the heart of God! To meet you when you raise your hearts up above to Him; to reach out to you as He did with Peter, and to bless you with His abundant peace, strength, and joy.
Will you look up and enter in? Labels: abundance, joy, peace |
I really liked what you had to say on your blog today! It really blessed me! Thanks for writting what was in your heart.
Grams