Which part do I share?

Passage Read/Meditated 2 Timothy 3:12-14

"...all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted..."

I find myself thinking often about what that moment would look like or be like for me. Would it be in some hostile land over seas all alone, away from my family dying at the hands of violent men? Or would it be a long and torturous journey... where I would have to endure the loss of everything that I hold dear to my heart. I do admit that soon after I surrendered my life to Christ that I have had an eerie sense that this would one day be my destiny. That one day I would have the privilege "to share in the sufferings of Christ." Now that may be the case only God knows, but as I read this passage this morning... this thought hits me...is not "sharing in the sufferings of Christ" the destiny for all of us? I mean persecution is not simply reserved for the "saintly"...or for the "super-christian"... It is not reserved for a select few but rather it is a daily calling for all Christ followers...to lose their lives that they might find it in Christ! That our lives would be spent for the Glory of God.

Philippians 1:29 reminds me this morning that when Christ reached into my life and grabbed hold of me...that I was forever joined to HIS LIFE! That means all of HIS LIFE! All of his grace, compassion, forgiveness, holiness, righteousness, power and yes even all of his sufferings. So here's my problem... why is it that I am so desperate to want to LIVE in Christ but yet at times so resistant to embrace his sufferings? I guess I'm still trying to figure out which part I want to share. His LIFE or HIS DEATH...and yet the truth is...it must be both...I cant have His life without His death. "I am crucified with Christ...and it is not I who lives but Christ who lives in me..."And so my prayer today is that I would choose to be completely joined to HIS LIFE. That I would seek to share not only in his life but also in his death. I pray that Christ you would lead me to the place where I can begin to share all things with YOU!

Not Ashamed... Bill