This is what we mean when we speak of Christ dwelling in our hearts. His life on earth is not finished yet, for he continues to live in the lives of his followers. Indeed it is wrong to speak of the Christian life: we should speak rather of Christ living in us. “I live, and yet no longer I, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2.20). Jesus Christ, incarnate, crucified, and glorified, has entered my life and taken charge. “To me to live is Christ.”
–Dietrich Bonhoeffer
We return again to this idea of self-death. That we are to die to our own wants, desires, thoughts, attitudes, speech, and actions. Instead, we sacrifice all of that to God, allowing Him to kill all of that in us and giving us new desires, new speech, new attitudes, new thoughts … all which lead to new actions and behaviors.
What an amazing idea – a supernatural occurrence – that God can do this amazing work in me, such that I am still alive, but it is no longer my life, but His – Christ living in me, Christ working through me. The Creator of this universe has taken up residence in my body and taken charge of my life – or at least He will if I let Him.
Have you turned your life over to Him? Do it again today. In fact, for most of us, we will have to do it again several times each day – living moment-by-moment in turning it back over to Him.