Col 2:20 If you died with Christ from the elements of the world, why, as living in the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances: 21 Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch, 22 (Regarding things which are all to perish when used) according to the commandments and teachings of men? 23 Such things indeed have a reputation of wisdom in self-imposed worship and lowliness and severe treatment of the body, but are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.
[Part 2 of 2] Because we have Christ and the cross, there is no place for self-imposed humility. There is no need for us to train ourselves to be humble. The most proud people are those who have learned to practice a form of humility. We need not learn such practices. Rather, we should simply take the unique way of the cross. I can testify that it is a healthy spiritual practice to pass through the cross every night when we go to bed. By applying the cross at the end of each day, you rest very well during the night. At bedtime we need to apply the cross to every problem and to every negative, natural, or sinful thing. We may pray, “Lord, I want all these things to pass through the cross. I do not want to go to sleep with any natural, sinful, negative, or worldly element that has not been dealt with.
When I go to bed, Lord, I want to be a person who has been crossed out.” We need to be those who pass through one cross after another. We should learn to daily pass through the intersection of the cross. Because we have Christ as the unique Person and the cross as the unique way, we do not need asceticism. Furthermore, we do not even need to make up our minds with respect to certain things. Such a practice does not work. What we need to do is simply lie down through the cross at night, have a restful sleep, and then rise up in the morning in resurrection. Praise the Lord that the experience of Christ’s death is versus asceticism!
Prayer Confession Loving Father thank you for this word. Lord, I thank you for the finished work on the cross. I apply the cross daily and ask that may all my negative, natural and sinful things pass through the cross everyday that I may have a restful sleep and rise up in resurrection to the praise of your name, in Jesus’ name, Amen.