One for all

Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross so we would stop living for sin and start living for what is right. And you are healed because of his wounds. (I Peter 2:24)

We may not understand fully how one man can carry the sins of all mankind, but we can trust that Christ did just that. How can one do so much for so many? We know God's ways are not man's ways, so 'how' he did it isn't as important as 'why' he did it and 'who' he did it for. He took on the sins of all mankind because of his tremendous love for his creation - all mankind. Do we fully understand his love - no, but we can see what his love can do when a life is submitted to his care!

He took our sins IN HIS BODY to the cross and he hung there in our place - affording a means by which judgment for each and every one of those sins could be dealt with once and for all. Our responsibility is to lay down our old selfish ways of thinking and acting, taking on a new way of living. That new way of living means we stop living for sin (obeying the pull and demands of sin) and start living according to his plan and purpose. How do we get to know his plan and purpose for us? We ask, seek, ask again, and continue to seek.

What I believed God's plan for me to be twenty or even forty years ago has evolved today in so many ways. As I have sought his wisdom and walked in that wisdom, I have seen the 'little' plans I thought he had for me become 'bigger' plans. How about you? Have you experienced something similar? Think back to your first days walking with Christ. You were probably pretty 'high on life' at that point. 

Now, think back to those first really challenging trials that came after you said 'yes' to Jesus. You might have wondered if he cared about what you were going through or questioned if this 'salvation thing' was really worth it. How do you face similar challenges, or even greater ones today? Chances are those smaller challenges seemed so big back in the day, but as time has gone on, one challenge builds the way for another. 

The means by which you navigate those challenges and the grace with which you 'go through' them is the same, but you are not! You are wiser, your faith is deeper, and your peace is not so easily disturbed. Why? Your life has become meshed with the life of Christ within you - you are "IN HIM". It is not just your sins that were placed in him at the cross, but your heart, will, emotions, thoughts, and actions. All of us is affected by his sacrifice. The next time you struggle with how ONE could never do so much for ALL mankind, consider the change in your life since you said 'yes' to him. We don't have to fully understand the 'how' as much as we need to know the 'why' and 'who' of his actions. Just sayin!