What is life? In the Christian walk, what constitutes having life? The world would have you think it's a life full of smiles, endless joy, abounding energy, firy passion, larger than life, untouched by hardship, everything good, got it all together. Excuse me, I'm going to be sick. Are you kidding me? Where'd they get that? I do believe in the power to have life in spite of circumstances. And we have at our disposal, since we are connected to the Source of Life, the attributes of joy, energy, passion, etc. But if you look at Jesus' life, you can't help but notice times He had to work to get there. He had to practice trust. He had to put His faith into action. He had to make conscious choices to respond to the call. It is profoundly obvious that this is not natural. This is supernatural.
Two points: first, life has to happen in me. I have to be connected to the Source. Over time, He develops true life and His character in me. Then, secondly, everywhere I go, this Life goes with me. It is there that I can bring life to others. Jesus came for the ones who were needing a doctor, ones that needed life. He helped them physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The Man of Life brings meaning, purpose, and perspective to people and circumstances. The Man of Life helps people find freedom from their problems.
The ultimate expression of life, from the Man of Life, is the laying down of His life, and the raising it back up again. It is ironic that we are studying this on the week before Easter. I sense that we follow a very similar pattern in our existence. We are to surrender our lives, submit to God, take up our cross, deny ourselves, die to this world, then He raises us back to life, His life now in us, for the purpose of helping others go through the same process with us.
So are there areas in your life where you need Him to bring life? Are there places that have withered and dried? These are places that are crying out for freedom and healing. May we entrust them all to the Lord, that He may water them, and raise them back to life, in fruitfulness. He came that we would have life, right here, right now, then unto eternity. If we have Him, we have life.
