By: Peggy S. Councill

What does it really mean to have Christ in You and You in Christ? What does that look like to walk it out in our everyday lives?

 ¹⁰ If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness… ²⁴ For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance we wait eagerly for it. (Romans 8)

Hope is now my favorite word because it means confident expectation. The focus of our hope needs to be God and the promises of His Word. Hope apart from God is like trying to walk upon a wispy cloud. You will fall right through; it will never hold you. But the Love of God will never fail.

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 8:37-39)

Just envision yourself as a glass, now pour crystal clear water into it. When you receive Christ as your Lord and Savior, He comes to make His home in You, like the filling of that glass with water.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. (Revelation 3:20)
Now picture taking that full glass of water and plunging it into the Ocean. This demonstrates the reality of Christ surrounding you and protecting you. Christ living in us, as His followers, is truly our living hope. It is our everlasting peace, our solace from the heat of the day and our shelter in the storms of life.

⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain. (Psalm 139:5-6 NIV)