The Greatest Benefit

“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So, I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 NLT)

What is your greatest pleasure? Yeh, I know this could get a little “ify,” but when we’re honest, especially as we age, it will reveal a lot about what’s most important in our life. Let’s just get this out on the table, because I know it was the first thing that came to some of your minds 😊. Throughout my marriage being intimate sexually with my wife was my greatest physical pleasure. God designed it to be.

But in this season of my life my greatest pleasure isn’t physical, it’s spiritual. My intimacy with God by far outweighs all other pleasures in my life. To know God supersedes any earthly form of enjoyment. Paul wrote in Philippians 3:10-11: “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead. I want to suffer with Him, sharing in His death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!”

You may find it interesting that the word Paul used in verse 10 that’s translated “know” is a derivative of the same word that Moses used in Genesis 4:1 in the KJV when he wrote: “And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain…”

It’s confounding to some that love of the Lord Jesus is more satisfying than any earthly pleasure, especially when you consider the fact the satisfaction isn’t derived only in what we get, but in what we give to His honor, glory, and praise. Paul uses words like “suffer,” “sharing in His death,” as well as “experience the resurrection from the dead.”

That’s why millions across the centuries up to and including today, choose to die rather than deny their faith in Jesus. On some levels I believe it’s true that you’re not ready to live for Jesus unless and until you’re ready to die for Him. Perhaps that’s why we have so many lukewarm “pew” sitters in the church and so few whose lives are a torch of light for the Savior.

A recent quote attributed to Mike Reeves says: “The greatest benefit of union with Christ *is* Christ.” In some ways it’s like me saying: “The greatest thing about marriage is being married to MY wife.” In those themes is exclusivity – no one brings me more satisfaction, pleasure, enjoyment, yet also, there’s not one to whom I have more commitment, devotion, or a willingness to “lay down my life for” kind of passion.

If your greatest desire isn’t to walk pleasingly before your Savior, your savior must not be Jesus! Why would I say such a thing? Because Jesus doesn’t call us to mediocrity or for Him to be our proverbial “genie in a bottle,” responding to our every beck and call. He bids us come and die!

Jesus said in Matthew 9:23-24: “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow Me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake, you will save it.” While many literally die every day for their faith, for most of us our “dying to self” looks like putting Him first in everything we do, say, or think.

If you’re not enjoying life to the fullest, I invite you to give your life to Jesus who IS “the Way, the Truth and the Life.” (John 14:6) If you’re not sure how to do that, please click on the highlighted name and let Ron Hutchcraft explain it to you.

Blessings, Ed 😊