We Rise now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

          –“Christ the LORD is Risen Today”; Charles Wesley

I’ve sung this song every Easter for years, but I just recently really understood these words – and what they mean for every Christian’s life.

                We rise now where Christ has led, following our Exalted head!     We should be following in Christ’s footsteps – loving others and sharing Christ!  Every day we should be striving to live like Christ and to be more and more conformed into His image.

                Made like Him, like Him we rise.    We were created in the image of God, and we should be living like Him for His glory!

                Ours the CROSS, the GRAVE, the SKIES!!    This is the line that really caught my attention!  When we aim to live like Christ, we will suffer with Christ, but we will also reap Christ’s reward.   Ours the cross – we will be hated for what we do and how we live.  John 15:20 tells us, “Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”  …The Grave – We must die to our sins and to ourselves; …The skies! – We as Christians are promised that we will gain great reward from Christ Himself if we live faithfully for Him!

Let’s chose to live for Christ every day – even if that means choosing against our desires.  If we are faithful servants in this life, we can look forward to hearing God’s “Well done.”  That is worth more than anything we might give up for Christ.

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