.....funeral

 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." Galatians 2:20

"There's nothing wrong with you that a good funeral won't solve," I said to the woman. "I'll even send you flowers!"  She smiled in response. I was speaking figuratively, of course, to a woman who was stressing out about an issue in her life. Her problem was the same problem that most of us have - too much of "us" and not enough of Jesus and the cross. Many of the daily problems in life can be solved by coming to an end of ourselves so Jesus can take over. 

The apostle Paul recognized the need for a "funeral" too when he penned these words: "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life" Rom 6:1-4.

Whenever we stress over a matter, get angry over a daily circumstance, or seek to have our own way - it is a sign there is still life in the grave. We need to fill it with dirt and smother the life of our flesh so that Christ may live in us freely, unhindered by the "old" man.

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." Galatians 2:20.

Send yourself some flowers today. Have a good funeral. 

- os hillman