HERE IS A meaningful verse: “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind” (Phil. 2:1–2). Five things Paul mentioned as being in Christ—encouragement, incentive of love, participation in the Spirit, affection, and sympathy. All of these are outgoing qualities. So being in Christ means that you do not stay in Christ as a closed spiritual corporation, but are in Him as electricity is in a generator—in to go out, yet always in.
“Any encouragement in Christ”—in Him there is always the positive encouragement. “A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench” (Isa. 42:3 KJV ). Barnabas was called “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36). He took Paul when no one else would take him, and he took John Mark when Paul wouldn’t take him. Out of rejected materials he built his temples of God.
This portion, “if there is any encouragement in Christ,” is translated by Moffatt, “By all the stimulus of Christ.” Christ is the Savior, the Sanctifier, and the Stimulator. Many fail to take Him as Stimulator—Stimulator of mind, spirit, emotions, body. Everything in Christ is at its best, for it is at His best.
A woman confronted with many diseases said to her doctor, “With all the germs and diseases around us everywhere, I don’t see how we can ever be well.” The wise doctor replied, “Knowing the human body as I do, I wonder why anyone should ever be sick.” The resources for health are laid up in the body. In view of the stimulus of Christ I refuse to accept my tiredness, my age, my retirement, my slow-down. In Him I am well and whole. I am as strong as my strength to receive, as able as my ability to appropriate, as alive as my receptivity to His stimulus. Note it says all the stimulus of Christ—His all is sufficient for my all—and then some!
O Jesus, stimulate my mind to think Thy thoughts after Thee, my feelings to feel Thy feelings after Thee, my will to do Thy deeds after Thee, and my being to become Thy Being after Thee. I open my being to the stimulus of Thy love—I would love after Thee. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: The stimulus around me is not to be compared with the stimulus within me—His stimulus.
