I love to read the Bible using what I call the Nugget Approach. I read a significant amount of the Bible on a daily basis, and gain a lot from it, but I also read allowing a few verses of Scripture to really speak to my life.



This morning, as I was reading through Galatians 2, this passage really jumped out at me.

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Even though I’ve read this passage dozens of times, it really jumped out at me this morning, especially from a leadership perspective.

I find myself continually trying to do things in my own strength. I seek to plan my sermon schedule on my own. I dream and plan direction and vision for our church on my own. I share counsel and advise with those around me from my own experience. I read, study, pray and write my own thoughts and ideas.

But according to this passage, it’s not about me at all. In fact, I no longer have a say in the matter. I no longer live, and Christ is alive in me, for me. And this is all for the sake of the Gospel.

As I strive to journey through this life, I see three things.

First, my life is an extinguished life. I have died to the Law, and grace is what saves and sustains me, in the act of Christ dying for me and living in me. My life has been finalized, wrapped up, ended. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17, that I am a new creation, the old has gone, it is dead. The me I knew is dead. The old nature is gone. And Christ has done something new, given me a new life, and that new life is wrapped up in his life, living in me.

Second, my life is a relinquished life. No longer is my life self-centered. It’s not even others-centered, which is an admirable way to live. No, instead my life must become Christ-centered. I no longer live, but Christ lives in me, by the act of self-denial. I must willingly set myself aside and choose to allow him to have control of every aspect of my life. This is much like my marriage. I willingly gave my life and my identity to my wife when we got married. And it has taken me twenty years to learn what that means, and I am still learning. But on that same day, my wife gave herself willingly to me, and she choose to become one with me. We relinquished our lives to one another, and no I longer belonged to myself. This is the same with my relationship in Christ. I gave up my rights to myself. I died to myself. And I allowed him full access to all that I am. And he made me into something that I could never become on my own.

Third, my life becomes a distinguished life. Paul wrote, “The life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” I have been made into something new. I am loved by my Creator. And I have been redeemed by my Savior. My life has taken on new meaning.

This plays out in my role as a leader in very tangible ways. Everything I do must be Christ-centric, which leads me to be others-focused. All that I do is accomplished in the knowledge that Christ is living in me, directing me in the books I study, the sermons I preach, the manner in which I relate to others, the things I do, the words that I say and write.

Every breath of my life takes on new meaning.

And it refreshes me more than anything else I know.

Stop and re-read this familiar verse. Has it become too commonplace in your life? Or do you take encouragement from it each time you read it? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.