“Thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. 2 Cor. 2:14-15
Heavenly Father, what an amazing description of the Christian life. We are to live as most grateful captives in Jesus’ “triumphal procession”—not as bombastic conquerors, but as those conquered by the only love that is better than life. This “parade of grace” will carry us all the way into the new heaven and new earth.
We are captives because the Gospel rescued us from sin, death, and the dominion of darkness. We are captivated because Jesus is a most wonderful, merciful Savior and King. By the work of your Spirit, Increase our “smitten-ness” with Jesus’ beauty, magnificence, and joy.
Since we most smell like Jesus when we are humble, gentle, grateful, and kind., keep us in that most attractive posture. Grace always runs downhill. We can love extravagantly because of Jesus’ extravagant love for us. We can risk waiting. We can live non-reactively and non-defensively because Jesus’ Kingdom has come, and will come in fullness. Faith and hope are the order of each and every day.
As our culture is, once again, turning up the thermoset on vitriol, meanness, and “us versus them,” may the Gospel be the only thing offensive about us, Father. Our citizenship is in heaven. Our identity is in Christ. Our calling is to live here and now for your glory. What an honor. So Very Amen.