Christ in Me, and I in Him
"He moved in, not as a guest, but as the very life within."
E. Stanley Jones invites us to reflect deeply on a truth that is often passed over with little thought—Christ not only places us in Himself, but He also places Himself in us. We can understand the beauty of abiding in Him. After all, He is holy, divine, the source of life, the place we were made to dwell. It makes sense that we would be drawn to Him. But the deeper mystery is this: that He chooses to dwell in us.
Jones marvels that Christ doesn't visit us now and then or offer distant oversight. Instead, He has settled in—permanently. Not because we are lovely or always responsive, but because He is Love, and it is the nature of Love to indwell the beloved. From within us, Christ patiently, consistently, and intentionally shapes us into strong, free persons who can walk with Him, reason with Him, share His dreams, and live out His life.
If we were only in Him, we might feel absorbed and lost in His grandeur. But because He is in us, the union becomes personal, intimate, reciprocal. It’s not that we vanish—it’s that we are fully alive, fully real, because He lives within. He is not crushing us beneath His glory; He is lifting us into His likeness.
This is not just theological poetry—it is the daily, indwelling reality of being loved so deeply that Love Himself has taken up residence within us.
Journal Entry (Holy Spirit’s Voice Through Scripture):
I have made My home in you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that lasts. I came not to visit, not to supervise from a distance, but to indwell, to abide, to remain. I am in you as the hope of glory, as the peace that surpasses understanding, as the power that works mightily within you.
You have this treasure in your earthen vessel so that it is clear the surpassing power is Mine, not yours. But I have not left you powerless. My Spirit in you cries out with confidence, “Abba, Father.” You are not an outsider to My love, nor a stranger to My promises. You are My dwelling place. I have filled you with all fullness, not in theory, but in reality.
Because I live in you, you are no longer bound to live as if you were alone. I abide in you so you may bear much fruit, not by striving, but by resting. And even your rest is a movement of faith—a participation in My life. I live through you, and My joy becomes your joy. My mind becomes your mind. My love becomes your expression.
I abide not as a passive guest but as the very life within your life. You have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer you who live, but Christ who lives in you. And this life you now live in the body, you live by faith in Me, the Son of God who loved you and gave Myself for you.
Let My word dwell richly in you. Let Me be the melody in your heart, the voice that silences shame, the presence that never leaves. You are My temple. You are My joy. And I will never stop shaping you from the inside out until the day you are face to face with Me.
(John 15:5; Colossians 1:27; Philippians 4:7; Ephesians 3:20; Romans 8:15; Ephesians 3:19; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:16)
Prayer (My voice):
Lord, thank You for this overwhelming truth—that You didn’t just cleanse me and leave me to figure things out, but You moved in. You’ve taken up residence, and You’ve brought peace, joy, wisdom, love, and the fullness of Yourself with You. I trust You to live Your life through me today, not as a visitor, but as the very life within me. You didn’t come for occasional appearances. You came to abide. And that changes everything.
I trust that no matter what today brings, You are already present in every moment, guiding me from within. I rest in that. I rejoice in that. You are not just near—I am Your home. And I marvel at Your love that would choose to be so near, not because of what I offer, but because of who You are. Thank You for being in me, even as I am in You.
Amen.
Devotional Credit: Based on In Christ by E. Stanley Jones
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