Scripture
Colossians 3: 1-4, 12-17 (The Message)
 
He Is Your Life
 
So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ-that's where the action is. See things from his perspective.
 
Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life-even though invisible to spectators-is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you'll show up, too-the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ.
 
So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.
 
Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ-the Message-have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives-words, actions, whatever-be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

Meditation

Renovation of the Heart - Cindy Wheatley
 
Kent and I are surviving a major home renovation project. After living in our home for 15 years, we decided to completely remodel the master bathroom! I had no idea how a bathroom is constructed (but now I do!). It's not until you strip away the tile and expose the walls and floor that you see where the problems are and can fix them. We could have just swapped out the vanity, slapped on a new coat of paint, put up some new lights and been done with it. But that would not have addressed the underlying structural problems that have been there for years. We knew this would be an inconvenient and expensive process, but in the long run our home will be better for it.
 
When I read Paul's words in Colossians 3, I'm reminded that God calls us to do the same thing in our lives: completely deconstruct and reconstruct our very being. That's really what the season of Lent is about: taking 40 days to strip ourselves down to the foundation and find the rotten wood, the leaks, the weak spots-anything that threatens the structural integrity of our spiritual existence.
 
In his brilliant book Renovation of the Heart, Dallas Willard shows us what this complete renovation looks like and requires: "The path of renovation of the heart is therefore one in which the revitalized will takes grace-provided measures to change the content of the thought life, the dominant feeling tones, what the body is ready to do, the prevailing social atmosphere, and the deep currents of the soul. These all are to be progressively transformed toward the character they each have in Jesus Christ." This is also the process that Paul is referring to in this passage: " Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life-even though invisible to spectators-is with Christ in God. He is your life."
 
Now, this type of total transformation takes time and it's very difficult. In this instant gratification society we want everything to happen NOW. God doesn't work in weeks but in lifetimes. It takes years to renovate every aspect of our character into the likeness of Christ. Notice that Willard uses the phrase "progressively transformed." Total renovation is the goal of every disciple of Christ and it's a glorious journey!

According to Paul, the journey begins when we express our gratitude and desire to be changed: "And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ-the Message-have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives-words, actions, whatever-be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way."

Reflection


 

Dallas Willard provides this graphic to help us see the blueprint of our character and reflect on all the aspects of our lives that need to be aligned with Christ. Spend some time with it during this season of Lent and think about starting your own remodeling process. I highly recommend reading Renovation of the Heart as a great way to get started!  

Prayer
Heavenly Father, you are the great architect of my life. You constructed me in your image, but I've let my character be shaped more by the world than by you. Help me to transform into the person you designed me to be. Amen.
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