“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”

Galatians 2:20

As Christians, we are the beloved of God. My Big Brother is the beloved Son of God, Jesus Christ—our Savior and Lord.

In Him, we have gained this position as the beloved children of God. Our Father in heaven, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, loves us beyond measure. The evidence is the Cross of Calvary—the altar on which Jesus offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for our redemption. What love can surpass His?

What is our responsibility, given this exalted relationship? How must we respond to such amazing grace?

Our best response is to take a cue from our Big Brother and learn from Him. We must learn from how He lived here on earth: His self-emptying, servant attitude, humility, and the learning of obedience, even to death, death on the cross. And there is more.

We must learn from His self-giving, prayer life, constant communion with the Father, seeking His will at all times. He did just what He heard the Father say, sought the Father’s glory alone as the goal of His life, and deflected every attention away from Himself to the Father. These, too, we must do as the beloved of God through Christ Jesus.

We can do all these through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in us. We should remember that we don’t own ourselves anymore. God has bought us at a price, “the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Pt. 1:19).  

As Paul said, 

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

This scripture must be our worldview. And I pray our Lord to help us live by faith in Him, the way He lived on earth for the glory of the Father. Amen.

I challenge you to join me in this determination as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. We can help ourselves love the Lord with our very lives. And to love one another as ourselves (Mk. 12:30-31).