New Habits 4: The Squish

However God directed you to plan your 30 Day Fast, He wanted it to be sincere, humble and private. As you emerge from your time of fasting, He is interested to see new habits and changes in your life that you will begin to implement from your special time with Him. He wants you to more fully understand all that He has given you now and use these new spiritual habits to more strongly reach for the promises He gives us that we have not yet fully experienced.

And you ¹were dead in your offenses and sins, in which you previously walked when you ¹followed the course of this world and the ruler of this kingdom that is now working in those who are disobedient. All of us also previously lived among them gratifying the cravings of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and like the rest, we were by nature ¹deserving of wrath. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love for us, even when we were dead because of our sins, made us ²alive with Christ (by grace you have been ²saved). God raised us up with Christ and ³seated us with Him in the heavenly places because we are ³united with Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might continue to show the ³boundless riches of His grace expressed in kindness to us because of Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from your ¹own efforts, it is the ²gift of God, not by our good works, so that no one can boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to ²do good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would ³walk in them. Ephesians 2: 1-10

If you believe that and you want it but are not quite experiencing it, that is okay! We are living in the SQUISH! Not in the SQUASH of death, but the SQUISH between the now of what God has promised has already happened and what we are not yet fully experiencing here on earth. Ephesians 2 above outlines this time warp God has wrapped around us with a loving hug:

WE WERE                             WE ARE NOW                     NOT YET FULLY

¹dead                                    ²alive in Christ                    ³united in Christ 

¹following this world          ²saved for heaven             ³seated with Christ

¹deserving of wrath            ²gifted salvation                ³boundless grace

¹walking in own efforts ²doing good works           ³walking in all prepared good works

What was life like before we were exposed to the SQUISH? Like TV’s Walking Dead! Or, like they say on death row, “dead man walking”! We were stuck and let the polluted world tell us how to live, as if it really knew. We did what we felt like doing, when we felt like it, and because we saw everyone else doing it, we thought it must be okay to not really be alive (Eph 2: 1-3 MSG). 

What did God do for us now we have entered the squish and believed? With immense mercy and incredible love, He embraced us and gave us a place in His presence eternally! 

What are we not yet fully experiencing but can experience in the SQUISH more often? No longer walking around dead and homeless, but hanging out at home with Christ, wrapped eternally in His hug and hospitality. And enjoying the company of those Jesus wants us to influence here and now for Him. 

Not that I have already grasped it all or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of what Christ Jesus holds for me. Philippians 3:12

How will your new spiritual habit help you press on through the SQUISH and grasp more fully what He promises and holds for you?

What one new, small thing can you do differently in the coming week?

Put a note in your calendar a week out and use that time to review how your walk with Christ was changed during this week.

What a plan You have for me, Lord! As I walk out in this world with confidence from Your promises, I know You are with me now! Help me find Your companions to walk with. Amen.