Far Above All in Christ

Growing up reading the Bible, I had heard about “the good land” throughout the Old Testament, but I never understand what it stood for.

Ezekiel 34:14 says,

I will feed them with good pasture, and their dwelling place will be upon the mountains of the heights of Israel; there they will lie down in a good dwelling place, and on rich pasture they will feed upon the mountains of Israel.

God is our source, our rest, and our peace; therefore, Christ can be typified by this good land. The land that God gave to Israel is just another sign that points to Himself.

Our Lofty Position in Christ

The first few chapters of the “The All-Inclusive Christ” touch on the transcendency, or ascension, of Christ. Christ’s resurrection shows how He overcame death and ascended to the heavens at the right hand of God. The mountainous land of Canaan represents Christ’s lofty placement above earth and in the heavens. Part of me felt when reading this that Christ’s placement is too high for me, an earthly being, to experience. But the amazing thing is that as born-again believers, we are in the ascended Christ (Eph. 2:6), and we can contact Him in our ordinary living to maintain our lofty position, far above all that would depress or trouble us.

How to Experience His Ascension

Enduring troubles can sometimes cause our spirit to weaken. We may be looking to the world for some sort of fulfillment, or try to fix our situation alone, probably forgetting that we have a Father we are free to call on (Psa. 145:18), and who is above any earthly situation (Isa. 55:8-9).

This past semester I had a science class that I found so challenging, I almost considered dropping the course. No matter how much I studied, it just seemed like things would not click, and I became frustrated with myself. I knew I was a smart student and I was capable of doing well, but as time passed the class became more challenging. Eventually I noticed that in the midst of all my worry, I had not invited God into my situation. So, I decided to call on Him. I called on Him in the practical times when I just sat in class, whispering “Oh, Lord Jesus” under my breath, or when I was studying in my dorm I just prayed “Lord, be with me during this time.” It was in those ordinary moments that I felt the most at peace about my situation.

I had to come to the realization that Christ is higher than all my current problems and there are no circumstances that are too hard for Him to not reign over. However, it is up to me to seek Him and apply His ascending power over my circumstances (Col. 3:1). The land described in Ezekiel 34: 13-15 shows us that when we tap into Christ, we will come to a land of living water, satisfaction, and rest.

Calling upon the Lord is not meant for the formal moments of a meeting only. Christ wants to be included in every moment of your everyday life. I am thankful that we can simply call His name and experience the true power and peace that comes from the ascended Christ. Let’s spend this summer getting to know the world from this lofty perspective—far above all in Christ.

 To know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if perhaps I may attain to the out-resurrection from the dead. (Phil. 3:10-11)

By: Allyson Waller