From A Park Bench - When the spiritual becomes the secular and the secular becomes the spiritual

When the spiritual becomes the secular and the secular becomes the spiritual

Every Christmas there is one word, one phrase that seems to be only used at Christmas. I am not writing about crackers, Christmas pudding or advent calendars, the word I am thinking of is “Immanuel.” This declaration of the coming of the baby Jesus, God intervening into time and space, “God with us.”

But “Immanuel” is so much more than just God entering our world, it is the son of God becoming human so that he could actually touch us. “Immanuel” means that God is showing us that he has no intention of being God without us. He is sharing His life with us so that we can share in God’s life.

When we believe in Christ, we enter into a living relationship with God. Our life becomes nothing less than a participation in God’s life.

The desires of our hearts are God’s desires, the dreams we dream are God’s dreams, the breath we exhale is God’s breath, the blood flowing in our veins is God’s blood. In every area, every sense, every action we are in union and participation with the almighty God.

From the most mundane action of making breakfast for the family, doing the washing, sorting out the broken office photocopier to praying for the sick, enjoying the presence of God, every moment, every action is important and God is with us and working through us.

Our lives should not be “departmentalized” into “spiritual” and “secular.” Truth is truth whether we are at Church or at home. We should keep our thoughts, imaginations and our minds on the good things God has given us in the natural, such as family, health, and work, just as we should think about, righteousness, justification, forgiveness, and so on.

We should focus on the good in every area of our lives. Recognizing God’s hand in even the smallest things will cause peace and keep our hearts and minds on our union with Christ and let his power flow out of our lives.

Christ is sharing himself and his life with the father in us. Every thing we do is intertwined with Him and his glory.