The Crucified Life!

The Apostle Paul said in Galatians 2:20:
     "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me."

     The story is told of a young Christian who asked an older Christian, "What does it mean to be crucified?"  The mature believer replied that it means three things:
First, the man on the cross is facing only one direction.
Second, he is not going back.
Third, he has no further plans of his own.
    The older Christian went on to explain --

First -- A crucified man is facing only one direction.  Too many are divided in heart.  They want heaven, but they are in love with the world.  They are like Lot's wife; they are running one way, but they are facing another. 

Second -- A crucified man is not going back.  The man who is crucified with Christ is not going back to his old life.  That is over with forever.

Third -- A crucified man has no plans of his own.  He is not dreaming of a bigger house or a better car.  He is finished with this life.  Its chains are all broken, and its charms are all gone.

The songwriter said:
     "O we never can know what the Lord will bestow of the blessings for which we have prayed
Till our body and soul He doth fully control, and our all on the altar is laid.
      Who can tell all the love He will send from above, and how happy our hearts will be made;
Of the fellowship sweet we shall share at His feet, when our all on the altar is laid."

Praise the Lord!!  In the words of the songwriter---(I have found, personally, that) "Nothing sweeter can be known than full surrender to the perfect will of God eternally!  Like a bird that's found its nest, so my soul has found its rest in the center of the will of God!"

May God bless you, challenge you, deepen you, and encourage you as you walk humbly with Him!