Colossians 1: 27-28, Philippians 1:6, Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 3:16-18, 1 Corinthians 15:10

Suzie Brock

There's this song stuck in my head, it play's over and over and over again in my brain, sometimes blurting out of my mouth in weird unexpected moments. It's been there when I lie down and when I get up for maybe the last five months. The last song that did that to me was an antacid commercial..."plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is....", only the words to this melody are considerably more significant, "Christ in me, Christ in me, Christ in me the hope of glory, you are everything....". I must thank Tim Hughes for those 'catchy words'. I can't say it's really annoying me because it's not, in fact I'm really surprised at its tenacious ability to have not been knocked out by any other 'catchy' tune; although I must admit that Amy Winehouse's "I don't want to go to Rehab...NO NO NO" did hold a sad place in my brain and on my lips for a while, much to the annoyance of my husband. (Quick, download Tim's song to combat what I know you have just begun to sing...NO NO NO!) Yea, I'm actually feeling pretty good about these lyrics, although I'm trying hard to understand them (no, not Amy's lyric's, Tim's).

What does it mean "Christ in me the hope of glory"? I get the part about Christ in me because I'm a believer in Him, I know He is in me, I know that He came in when I asked Him too, but what does it mean by the 'hope of glory'. One thing that I figured out a long time ago in my life is that the Bible is a treasure trove, (wait, quick, check my widget dictionary to find out if 'trove' is an actual word, it is! Meaning a 'store of valuable or delightful things') and that it is, always a great help to me (understatement of the year). Well, turn's out Tim actually didn't make those words up, and no I don't think he had to get the 'writers' permission to use them.

There's a passage in the book of Colossians, chapter 1 verse 27 that says " To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (NKJV). In the New Living Translation it says it this way "For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you the assurance of sharing his glory."

I love it, I love that God 'wanted' us to know! I love that He revealed the secret! I really love that He wanted me and you to be assured that we would share His glory, awesome! But what the heck is His glory and do I want to 'share' in it? Hmmm...this will take more than a quick look at my trusty Mac widget dictionary...I may have to delve (just checked that word too, it's there) into some greater sources.

Glory according to my Spirit Filled Life Bible, New King James Version is found to have two different roots in Greek, one being from the root word chabod meaning renown and visible splendor, and the other Greek root doxa, majestic, perfection. What? He wants to share with me renown, visible splendor, majesty and perfection! Right on, but seriously, what is He saying? I know that there are those of you out there that could expound on the word glory and all that it means, and set me straight on the depth of it's origin, but hey, I'm just a simple blonde lady trying to find my way in Him. So for the sake of argument, let's just say it's only me and my Bible left in the world (no creepy life forms like Will Smith had to deal with) and I have to find my way to understand this statement "Christ in me the hope of glory". Well, I think what He is saying is that He wants me to become like Him. Whoa.

Ok, that's a bit overwhelming, let me see if I can find something else to back it up with. Well let's start with the following verse in Colossians, verse 28 says they want to present us to God perfect. Perfect is a tall order, but it also says in Philippians 1:6 that He who began the good work in me will complete it, He being HE. He, God, Christ, the Holy Spirit all working together, will finish in me what they started, He will make me 'perfect', 'majestic', 'splendific' (ok, that one's not in my dictionary, but it should be). My own personal "makeover team"! I really love that concept, a heavenly team of make-up artists working fervently over me to bring out every possible point of beauty and cover every 'not so' beautiful flaw.

Yes, go for it! I can hardly wait for the big 'reveal', you know that moment in every makeover show whether house or human were they come out completely transformed and everybody oohs and awes, I especially like when they hold up the before and after pics! Well, I'm not sure actually that after my makeover is complete that I'll want to see the before picture, we'll see. At any rate I can assure you the the Bible is full of promise's concerning our transformation and perfection. Here's a few more: Romans 12:2 "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." NKJV Or how 'bout this one: 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 "Whenever a person turns in repentance to the Lord, the veil is stripped off and taken away. Now the Lord is Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty. And all of us with veiled face continue to behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another: from the Lord the Spirit." Amplified version.

I once heard it said this way, 'You reflect what you behold', that sounds about right. So I guess my only help in this process is to turn to Him and to behold Him. To so gaze on this greatness, to let it penetrate into my being, to be forever affected by the very image I'm turned to that I eventually begin to 'become'.

Christ in me, Christ in me, Christ in me, the hope of glory...I hope this song, these words, and even Tim's melody never leave my pathetic little brain. I pray that they will continually remind me to 'behold' Him, follow Him, honor, love and eventually find myself looking like Him, SPLENDIFIC!. Thanks God for wanting me to know the 'secrets' and then for assuring me that it could be done.

"But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out His special favor on me-and not without results." 1 Corinthians 15:10