That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Philippians 3:10-11
Christianity is the most upside-down religion imaginable. That is one of the reasons that so few people truly learn to live as Jesus taught us to live. The title of this devotional goes against the instincts woven into our bodies. We are wired for survival, yet Jesus modeled for us a way of living that is concerned with things more important than survival. Paul, in this text, speaks similarly when he says that he longs to fellowship in Jesus’ suffering. That statement sounds insane! So what is going on here?
So much of human existence is in bondage to instincts. We fight for self preservation, comfort, procreation, and safety. These things are not evil but they are a sort of servitude to lower drives. The way of Jesus frees us to think beyond ourselves and explore what it means to be more than animals, to be like our creator. The way of Jesus frees us from even the fear of death. In the scriptures it’s called image bearing. When Paul speaks as he does in this passage, he speaks as a man who is no longer enslaved.
What about you? Do you feel free from the fear of death itself? Are you free from the feeling that you MUST satisfy every animalistic craving that you have? There is a way of living that can be beyond those lesser cravings. Take a listen to this song and contemplate these questions.
By Aaron Bjorklund
