Day Three, January 14th – Hidden With Christ in God

Colossians 3:3–4 (ESV)

“For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

How rich are His glorious mercies, and how abundant are His graces? They are endless. It is overwhelming, in the most beautiful way, to realize that Jesus would pour the depths of His riches and grace into us so that we can encounter an endless measure of Himself.

As Pastor Josh shared yesterday, this is our joy: that we would truly know the richness of being hidden in Him. When we dwell on our hiddenness in Christ, we begin to understand that this is not about being pushed down, overlooked, or forsaken. The overflow of encounter in that secret place with Him postures us for joy and thankfulness. If you continue reading the rest of Colossians 3, you will notice how many times the word “thankful” appears.

As I pondered these devotions, I asked my five-year-old daughter, Lilah, what it means to be resting in Jesus. I asked her because adults can tend to think that resting means we are not getting anything done, but I love the simple answers children give. I did not expect such a profound response. She simply said it means to be “calm” in Him. Wow, that our thoughts, motives, and hidden places would know the calm of the Holy Spirit. There is something powerful about the wisdom that flows from children. Being calm with Him does not mean we are passive, but that we are freely surrendering to the cultivation of our hearts. We quite literally lay our desires, motives, and thoughts on His altar for a display of His glory.

In this season, I find myself drawn to the life of Elijah. He is a powerful example of someone who lived hidden with God. Elijah came from an unassuming place and held no notable status. He was not widely known before his story was recorded in Scripture, and many scholars even question how he was able to gain an audience with King Ahab. Yet God chose to reveal His power and glory through Elijah. If you are looking for a story to sit with during this fast, you can read more about him in 1 Kings 18.

I share Elijah’s story because, although he started small and unseen, he maintained his hiddenness in both status and mission with calmness. Each of us is called, and each of us carries the same move of the Holy Spirit that Elijah knew. Elijah’s name means “The Lord is my God,” and it spoke to his identity before his calling was ever displayed publicly. As believers, we too remember that He is our identity. Colossians 3:3 says, “You have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Christ is our life.

As we seek the Lord today through prayer and fasting, may we remember, like Elijah, that He is our identity first and foremost. May our hiddenness become our calm, our place of rest. Imagine the depth of rest Elijah needed in this story. Yet the display of God’s glory was magnificent as Elijah proclaimed God’s name. He created a scene so that Israel would know the one and true God. He was secure, knowing God would magnify Himself despite the obstacles. Your hidden encounters and time with Him are where He speaks and cultivates you. The hidden places of our hearts, thoughts, motives, and desires are His. He will make them a display of His glory, just like Elijah. We declare the Lord’s identity over us and lay our intentions at the altar, and watch His glory from heaven make a display.

If you haven’t already done so, please take a moment today write down some of the things the Lord has been speaking to you over the last three days. I want you to remember the display of His glory.

Much love,

Pastor Adina