Galatians 1:3-5 (NIV): Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
God’s plan in sending Jesus was to rescue people from the present evil age. Jesus did this by dying on the cross, paying the price for the sins of all mankind, and repairing the rift between God and mankind. God’s plan for all who are in Jesus is that they will be in the world specifically as His emissaries, His ambassadors, but that they would stay free from the snares and attachments of the world that snare people in sin. They have been rescued from the muck and mire of the world, why would they ever want to go back and wallow in it again? When a person is made clean and able to walk above the mess of the world, why would they want to sink back into it? To some this sounds “otherworldly” or “out of touch with reality.” But the model is always Jesus. He was solidly in the world, but He was rooted in and lived above the world. Only in that way could He bring healing and wholeness, in a way that nothing OF the world could do. That is the ministry that of all of God’s people are supposed to continue until His return; but the ONLY way for us to accomplish it is to be rooted ourselves ABOVE the world, and never let ourselves get drug down. We can do it in Jesus – the one who said, “Take heart, (for) I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Father, help me, help us all to overcome the world every day; to live a life firmly rooted above, just like Jesus! Help us to live out this overcoming life every day, and to let You bring healing and wholeness to our world through us. Amen.