Life, what is it?

We spend so much time trying to live it, but do we ever define it?

A baby is born and we celebrate life.  A loved one dies and we grieve life.  

We tell a small child reaching for the flower on a stem, not to pick it or it will cease to live.

We even see a dead animal on the side of the road and feel sadness at the loss of life.

Last week my husband came home from work and said he saw the saddest sight. He was driving home on his usual route which winds through some beautiful wine country. It was Fall and he was marveling at all of the beautiful autumn colors on the vines and trees. There were brilliant yellows, golds, oranges and reds. It looked like the plants were virtually on fire with color. All of a sudden his admiration turned to shock as he saw a beautiful deer, lying dead on the side of the road. He commented that while it was not a baby, it was young. It was too soon for this life to be over!

Life, what does that mean?

The scientific definition is fairly simple to wrap our minds around:

“The condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms.”  

Basically, Life verses Death!

What I am referring to is more than physical existence. I am referring to the gift we have been given by God.

God desires that we be full of Life, lively, animated and spirited (full of His spirit)!

God sent His Son, Jesus to give us Life. Through Jesus Christ we have both Life here on earth and Life eternal forever in heaven with Him!

In this incredible I AM statement that Jesus makes here in John 11:25-26, Jesus is declaring that Yes, we will have LIFE through the Resurrection in the end where we will join all the righteous of The Lord! We will also have that life daily as we live and breathe as “organisms” on this earth. We have LIFE through the Resurrection and The Life Himself, Jesus Christ!

“I am The Resurrection and The Life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Jesus was talking to Martha here, a very dear friend. Her brother, Lazarus (also a very dear friend), had become ill and died. Martha desperately mourned her brother’s death and told Jesus that if he had been here her brother would not have died.  

Jesus, loving them both, replies to Martha, 

“Your brother will rise again.”

Martha responds like most of us would, out of her limited understanding of who God really is.

“I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”  John 11:24

In Truth and Confidence, Jesus declares this I AM statement to convey greater Truth about who He is!

He is The Resurrection and The Life. If we believe in Him we have life eternal forever with Him and Life on this earth.

To prove this point Jesus raises Lazurus from the dead. I cannot even imagine the life Lazurus must have lived on this earth after that!  I can almost guarantee he lived with greater purpose than ever before!  I bet he lived with greater life, animation and spirit than he did before.

Lazurus did eventually die a physical death on this earth like we all will. But due to “The Resurrection and The Life” Himself, Jesus, and Lazurus choosing to believe in Him, Lazurus now LIVES the eternal LIFE promised to all of us.

The question I have for us today is, Are we living to die, or are we dying to live?

I hope that we are not just passing the days here on earth virtually “lifeless,” demonstrating no joy or gratitude for the life we have been given, AKA: “Living to die.”

Instead, I hope that we are “Dying to live!” Living every day God gives us life on this earth with a spirit that reflects God’s Love.

TRUTH BOMB

IN JESUS WE DON’T JUST COUNT OUR DAYS, WE MAKE OUR DAYS COUNT!

Let’s live fully until we die, to honor the One who is The Resurrection and The Life, Jesus Christ!

Speak Truth Love