waking up to new life in christ

By Laura Hardin  (WITHIN Devotional Writer)

“For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.”
(1 Corinthians 15:21-22 CSB)
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If we are not careful when we wake up in the morning, we can begin our day thinking and living as though we are still in Adam, devoid of hope, dead in sin, unable to follow God, rather than in Christ, full of hope, clothed in righteousness, and empowered to follow God by the Holy Spirit.
 
Sure, we know that our #1 priority should be to love the Lord God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love others as we love ourselves, but let’s be honest. Based on how exhausted we often feel as our feet hit the floor and all the many things swirling in our heads as we brush our teeth, following God in the strength he supplies sounds more like a nice idea than a real possibility for the day.
 
We must seize these moments in the morning to take our thoughts captive and make them obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). The earlier we do this in the day the better because we live out of what we currently believe. So if there is a thought rising up against the knowledge of God, this is the time to demolish it. Because, according to the word of God, is that we can obey God today. We can know the joy of following his ways. We can know the peace that comes from living out our days in holy surrender.
 
His grace floods us moment by moment for this very purpose. But the question is whether we believe. Do you believe you are still in Adam, dead in your sin and hopeless, or that you are alive in Christ, lavished with grace upon grace upon grace?
 
Today, beloved child of God, you woke up to most incredible reality of being in Christ. Our union with our Savior changes everything. In him, we have everything we need for to live a godly life today. In him, we are flooded with his love, grace, and mercy.
 
Therefore, despite our weaknesses, despite only getting a couple hours of sleep, despite the challenging meeting ahead, I can align my attitude with the good news of his grace and do the next thing.
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The weekly devotionals seek to encourage you to dig deeper into Scripture as you take the time to daily read, meditate, and internalize the verses in the devotional, along with the passages provided below to give greater context. Take the time to read them throughout the week (repetition is important) and ask the Holy Spirit to help you grasp what God is showing you about Himself, about you, and how to live in light of these truths. 

Passages to read/memorize/meditate:
Ephesians 1:1-11
Colossians 2:1-4
2 Peter 1:3-5
Titus 2:11-12
Ephesian 1:18-19Questions to Reflect on:

1. What do you foresee will be your greatest challenge today?
2. How does your position in Christ empower you to face this challenge with faith and hope?
3. Have you lost hope that you will experience the transformative grace of God in a particular area of your life? Name that area.
4. If God is a strong help to all in Christ, what is a small step forward you can take in this area?