One of the post prominent characters in the Old Testament narratives is
David. Perhaps Israel’s most loved king, started off as a shepherd boy but was
also a song writer and many of his compositions are present till today in the
Psalms.
A particular event launched David into prominence in the mainstream of
Israel’s history-his victory over Goliath the Philistine giant who had haunted
and terrorized the armies of Israel (see 1st Samuel 17). David used
a stone shot from a sling to defeat Goliath. We probably all know that but the lesser
known fact is that the skill of using a sling was not only possessed by David. Judges
20:16 particularly describes 700 left-handed men of the tribe of Benjamin who
could sling a stone at a hair and not miss!
David utilized his resources. He refused to take on Saul’s armor and
weaponry that were foreign to him. I encourage you to be like David, utilize
your resources in Christ.
Alive In Christ
“And you hath He quickened, who were dead in
trespasses and sins… even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ…”
Ephesians 2: 1, 5 KJV
The Scriptures are very emphatic about humanity’s state outside of God’s
redeeming grace-death. Not just a state of sickness or coma but death.
“They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life
of God…”
Ephesians 4:18 NIV
“Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death
through sin, and in this way death came to all men…”
Romans 5:12 NIV
Sometimes we don’t realize just how terrible our spiritual condition
was before God’s saving power changed us. Even though we were physically alive,
spiritually we were dead to God. As 19th Century Scottish preacher John
Eadie wrote “Men without Christ are death walking”. My experiences since
medical school till current clinical practice have shown me that one of the
characteristics of corpses is that they are unable to respond to any stimuli.
In the same way, our spirit beings were insensitive to God. People may be in
varying degrees or stages of decay but bottom-line is that outside of God, all
of humanity is dead.
We were locked in death, insensitive to God, engulfed in comprehensive
sinfulness, and entangled in the web of an evil system orchestrated by the
devil. Such a condition, using medical parlance, does not need a resuscitation
or a renovation. It required a resurrection and that is exactly what God has
done to us in Christ Jesus.
“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your
sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ…”
Colossians 2:13 NIV
“For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so
the Son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it”
John 5:21 NIV
Child of God this week I am reminding you: you are no longer alienated
from the life of God. You are no longer insensitive to God’s voice or to His
divine activity. You have been made alive in Christ. You are now in a lively
dynamic relationship with Him. This is your heritage in Christ.
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