Day 23: Jesus, You Are My Hidden Life

Everyone needs a safe place for rest, refreshment, and rejuvenation. Jesus is that place. Paul says, “For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). Jesus is reminding me today that this world is not my life – HE IS MY LIFE. Of course, I still live here while on earth. But Jesus is the One who determines, and even orders, my interests, attention, and priorities. I need to remember not to allow the culture or the circumstances to consume my attention. In fact, Paul goes so far as to say, “Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth” (Colossians 3:2 NLT). Those are radical words. I find myself obsessing over “things of earth” sometimes. The words of Colossians 3:2 pull me out of that defeating thought cycle and bring me to the place where I can say: Jesus, You are my magnificent obsession. You are my hidden life. You are the place where I am refreshed, rested, and rejuvenated. Oswald Chambers says, “The golden rule for your life and mine is this concentrated keeping of the life open towards God. Let everything else—work, clothes, food, everything on earth—go by the board, saving that one thing. The rush of other things always tends to obscure this concentration on God. We have to maintain ourselves in the place of beholding (2 Cor. 3:18), keeping the life absolutely spiritual all through. Let other things come and go as they may, let other people criticize as they will, but never allow anything to obscure the life that is hid with Christ in God. Never be hurried out of the relationship of abiding in Him. It is the one thing that is apt to fluctuate but it ought not to. The severest discipline of a Christians life is to learn how to keep ‘beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord.’”

How do these words work their way into my life today? I think a bit of self-examination sometimes helps appropriate spiritual truth: What thoughts are consuming me right now? Do I have any worries or concerns? Is my heart sinking or is there dread from a looming threat to my security? A few things immediately come to my mind. I know what they are. And so does the Lord. I believe that the Lord is reminding me to take each weight or burden and turn it all into prayer to Him, who IS my hidden life. I reside in reality with Him and heaven is my true home. To sum it up—I need to turn every care into prayer. And when I find that place of prayer in Christ who is my hidden life, I experience His peace. Philippians 4:6-7 holds this amazing promise; when I pray, the Lord will give a supernatural peace that guards my heart. Today, I read in Daily Light On The Daily Path Isaiah 26:3-4 “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!” I think our hidden life in Christ gives us a perpetual calm in the midst of all we experience in the world. And when you can experience such peace even in a turbulent storm, then you have found true peace indeed.

My Response: Lord Jesus, I love my hidden life in You. I find that my life with You is the one thing that no one can touch. You are the One who gives me peace and the ability to remain steadfast and immovable, always abounding in Your work here in the world. Will You keep my focus concentrated on You as I carry out the responsibilities and service You have called me to engage in today? Thank You Lord for Your constant presence in my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.