Excited to have my son, Kris, join us today. This was written for his church newsletter and I thought it was worth sharing. You can read a previous post of his about his grandmother here! Be blessed as we realize why we live, move and exist.

“In Him we live, we move, we exist.” Acts 17:28

Paul is speaking here to the Athenians in front of the altar to the Unknown God. He recognized that the Athenians were extremely religious individuals but they lacked the proper understanding in regard to the One they worshiped. As a result, Paul begins to explain that the same God who created the universe is the same God who was crucified on the cross and now that very same God lives in us.

Fundamentally, we are designed to live in Christ, move in Christ, and purely exist in Christ. Christ is who we are. Because of this, every action and every reaction should be grounded in our identity in Him. How we deal with chaos, life struggles, and frustrations should be interwoven in the Spirit. This is why we, as Christians, should be spending time in daily prayer. Without the Spirit living and breathing in our spiritual bodies, we will be unable to appropriately respond to life’s challenges.

Alternatively, our interactions with one another should also exist in Christ. A few weeks ago, our Life Group talked about how the entire law is fulfilled in the simple command of “loving your neighbor as yourself” (Galatians 5:14). Six of the Ten Commandments deal with interpersonal relationships, which would never be broken if we truly loved one another. Allowing someone to cut in front of you on a busy highway, paying for a stranger’s cup of coffee, or asking someone for permission to pray with them are all examples of how we can truly operate within Christ and share the love that He has shown to us.

The original Greek for the phrase “we exist” actually translates to “we are”. This is much more appropriate and impactful: Christ is who we are at the very core of our being. As a result, everything we do, think and say should reflect this fact. Our passions, talents, hobbies should be founded in our love for the Creator; serving as an opportunity to worship Him for the blessings that He has given us.

Over the past few weeks this simple sentence has challenged me in my own walk with Christ. I would challenge you to do the same, allow this concept to change your mindset and begin focusing more on love and sharing the gospel of Christ.

Kris Elkins is a 29 year-old Christ follower. Ever attempting to make headlines, he is constantly looking for ways to bring laughter into lives, as well as those “hand to face” moments, in which the audience sits stunned in disbelief. He is an RN and a Senior Clinical Applications Analyst at Eskenazi Hospital, Indianapolis. When he is not studying for his Masters degree, he can be found running, cycling, or chasing his adorable English Bulldog, Eisley. He states that he can’t take all of the credit for being absolutely awesome, crediting his parents and brothers for some of these amazing qualities. He blogs at mereKristianity…when he feels like it.

Sharing with Testimony Tuesday, Messy Marriage, Wholehearted Wednesday