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Right Where We Belong
A few years ago an Oxford professor shed new light on one of the apostle Paul’s most-used phrases, “in Christ,” which appears approximately 160 times. When studying the grammar of this phrase in other ancient Greek texts, Professor Teresa Morgan argued a better translation is “in the hands of Christ.”[1] What a picture this paints!
Consider: “Therefore if anyone is in [the hands of] Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB 1995, emphasis added). Or: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in [the hands of] Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23 ESV, emphasis added).
Think about it. To be “in Christ” is to put our life in His hands. It means to be dependent on Him and to trust His care. To be under His authority and power. To be protected, valued, and loved. To belong. Literally, by His nail-pierced hands we are saved. It was up to Him on the cross. And in His hands we are transformed!
The Bible says in the hands of Christ there is salvation, we are a new creation, we have a forever family, and we have His authority and power. There is no shame, only freedom. We’re not alone, we’ll become more like Him, and we can never be separated from His love. In the hands of Christ we have the hope and assurance of heaven one day.
Sometimes we grasp at and hold on so tightly to things we think we want or need, but God just wants us to let go and trust Him. He has something so much better: a community of belonging; a place to feel loved and accepted just as He’s created us to be, where fear isn’t a part of the equation; and a great plan for us that, alongside our friends and family, we can live out together. He’s calling each of us by name, asking us to follow Him into that story.
Where do we belong? In the hands of Christ.
Pray:
Dear Lord, thank you that I am safe in your hands, in a place of love, grace, mercy, and belonging. Amen!
Was this plan helpful? We adapted this plan from A Crown That Lasts: You Are Not Your Label by Demi-Leigh Tebow. Check it out for more.
[1] Teresa Morgan, Being “in Christ” in the Letters of Paul: Saved Through Christ and in His Hands (Tübingen, Germany: Mohr Siebeck, 2020).
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About this Plan
You only need to open your phone, look in that doctor’s eyes, have a loved one cut you off, watch a dream collapse, or embark on a lonely cross-country move to feel stranded, starting over, and confused about your identity. I pray that through these devotionals you’ll feel less alone and glimpse who you are, what really matters, and what to do when you're stuck in the messy middle.
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