Who fills you?

God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself. (Ephesians 1:22-23)

What does it mean to have Christ as our authority in life? In a very simple sense, it means we no longer try to run our lives the best we can and hope everything will come out all right. We trust a higher power to actually orchestrate our lives, keeping watch over us, guiding us in all that we do. The church is his body. Are you the church? Yes, if you have said 'yes' to Jesus. The church isn't a building or a denomination. It is believers everywhere, under his authority, living life together in Christian community. As his church, we have a mission - to grow in Christ, sharing his grace with others who haven't experienced it as we have.

The church (you and I) is made 'full and complete by Christ. He fills us with himself. If you hadn't really noticed that truth as you read through this passage, you cannot just skip over it. He (Christ), the authority over all things, works tirelessly for the 'benefit of the church'. He fills us with his presence - no wonder we no longer should yield ourselves to sinful things. 

Whenever the 'authority' of one's life changes, there is a change in behavior. As I entered the military, the 'authority' over my life changed from mom/dad to drill sergeant. He didn't have the same authority as mom or dad. The expectations were different - do as I say, when I say it, without questioning why I say it. Why? I am preparing you for battle - to not only save your own life, but the lives of those who will fight alongside you. Mom and Dad raised me to think on my own - giving me a little more freedom each year, allowing me to make my own decisions under their tutelage. My drill sergeant wanted me to pay attention, do what he said, and never question his authority to make decisions on my behalf.

While Christ isn't exactly like my drill sergeant, his authority is similar. He wants us to pay attention to what he says. He certainly desires us to do as he says. He asks us to trust his direction of our life. He fills us with himself - giving us both ability and knowledge. Acting upon what he fills us with, we make wiser choices, leading to wiser actions. The authority over our lives matters, doesn't it? Just askin...