Imaginary Lines

For a while now, I've seen how God's Word connects back to itself, how it's one big story, never ending. But today God reminded me of how closely His Word fits together and how sovereign He is.

This morning I was going through my memory verses for today. As of now I have eight cards in my Tuesday slot, and they've all been put there somewhat randomly. But today, God made them all line up, like He was drawing an imaginary line through my cards and making them into some kind of flow chart. It was really cool. I just love how He chooses to reveal certain things to different people at just the right time.

Here are my verses and the order, that makes sense to me:

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

"Everything is permissible"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. 1 Corinthians 10:23-24

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rules, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12

And here is the way I see it:

You start with the word, which is also Christ (John 1:1). With Christ, we can become new creations. Because of Christ, we have life through Him in faith. As we grow, we are transformed little bit by little bit into His likeness. But in order to go after Him, we must deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Him. This is not of our own strength, but with the Spirit of power, love, and self-discipline that God has given us. In addition to loving the God who has given us Christ, eternal life and the Holy Spirit, we are called to love each other, which means looking out for them before ourselves (denying ourselves). And a reminder that there is a bigger struggle going on "out there."

What a sweet reminder of how God places everything together so carefully.