My Name is "Christ In Me"

My name is Christ in me. It is not a slogan, a wish, or a future promise. I do not exist apart from being in him and he has chosen to not exist apart from being in me. He is not out there, on the other side of my sin. I do not know where my being ends and his begins. We are fused like precious metals. I am holy because he is wholly in me. He cannot dwell in anything but holiness. I am righteous not only because he calls me so, but because he has already made me so. It is not bragging, or religious self-aggrandizement to say so. In fact, to call myself anything less is a misrepresentation of his character and his hard work on the cross.
My name is Christ in me. I am not my past, my ongoing struggles, my shame. I am not a saved sinner, striving hard to become something more. I am a saint, at once and always delightful to my God. I am never condemned. He is never disgusted with me. To be so would to be to carry disgust for His own plan. My continuing issues do not betray this truth. They may describe my growing maturity, they may reveal the depths of my broken heritage, but they do not compromise my completely new identity. Anything in me that heals, matures, is freed, released or any power of sin that is broken, or solved, is the sole result of trusting His single act of redemption for me. ...I will do nothing to gain his favor. I already have it. I will do nothing to gain his love. He cannot love me more and he will not love me less. I will not now attempt to prove my righteousness by commandments once given to prove to me that I was not righteous and needed a Savior. Instead, I will rest in the righteousness that is mine through faith. I will not try to vindicate my life by enough good behaviors, for love is the natural expression of my new being. I will do nothing to convince him I care more or enough. Caring more is the fruit of maturity in trusting this new life.
My name in Christ in me. I want only the heartfelt obedience that comes from trusting His power in me, and knowing no one, including me, has ever cared about my life as much. I will rest in his pace, his ability, and his power surging through my being. I will not be shamed into searching for greater hidden depths of my sin. There is no glory in beating myself up to prove anything to God. It is the singular event of the cross that has convinced me of the depths of my need and the strength and depth of his love.
My name is Christ in me. I will spend not one moment in religious angst. I perform for no one. He is well pleased with me now. I am devastated, undone, stunned and endlessly grateful for his love. I play no games, live no double life, hide nothing from him and don’t pretend I could. I receive his love and live out of the creative playfulness and purposefulness which comes from the safety of complete acceptance. This is my God. I will not endure the pretend god of never satisfied disappointment. Such a god does not exist. Such a god cannot heal or give life.
My name is Christ in me. This is not another slant, another theological viewpoint or the adherence to an historic religious system. This is the power of Christ in me, the hope of glory. There is no better life, no higher calling, no deeper walk. And I cannot wait to walk in the continuing destiny of his dreams for me.
~ John Lynch