I find it difficult to state in a form of words just what Christ is to me. It is easy to repeat the statement, "Christ is all, and in all" (Colossians 3:11), but how shall I express my own experience in translating this text into daily life? I have found Christ to be the sufficient supply of my every need as a Christian. All my fears and my dread of the future are calmed when I stay my mind upon Him, and the assurance becomes true in my case: "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee; because he trusteth in Thee" (Isaiah 26:3).
"Peace! Perfect peace! Our future all unknown;
Jesus we know, and He is on the throne."
I need wisdom that I may discern between right and wrong, and be able to refuse the evil and choose the good. This wisdom from above has been promised, but it is not a mere faculty of the mind that I must exercise. Christ has been made unto me wisdom, and I take Him as my wisdom. This does not make me infallible, or render mistakes possible, but teaches me the way I should go. I learn of Him.
I need power to persevere in the way that He has shown me is right, and through His own personal presence in me by the Holy Spirit, He becomes my power. This does not make me omnipotent, and such personal power is not under my control, but I am rather under His control. When I oppose His will, I lose Him as my power. Self-surrender is the way of power.
He who is my wisdom and my power, is also my righteousness. He clothes me with the robe of His righteousness. He takes away the filthy rags of my own righteousness-my sins-and covers my nakedness with garments pure and white. Thus I am hidden in Him, and my Father sees me in Him, and accepts me in Him. What more can I desire?
I know that of myself I am hateful, and that I naturally hate others, and that "in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing" (Romans 7:18). But Jesus is love incarnate, love in life, and as He dwells in me, His love is shed abroad in my heart, and I love because He first loved me. Sweet is the fellowship of His love.
I know that a Christian ought to live the life of victory over sin, but when left to myself, I find that what I hate, "that I do," and "the god that I would I do not" (Romans 7:19). I am glad that I have learned to accept His death as my death to sin, and His life as my life, and that I take Him as my victory. His victory is mine, as He becomes mine. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4), whereby we lay hold upon His glorious power, "so that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me" (Hebrews 13:6). "Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57).
He is my peace. He is my wisdom. He is my power. He is my righteousness. He is my love. He is my victory. He is my all. What is He to you?
"Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon" (Isaiah 55:6-7).