John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
We've talked about Jesus being the Way, and Jesus being the Truth. He is also Life! Life man! Isn't that what we all really want? I know people who have lost loved ones and its sad because that person was once living and now they are not. But for the believer in Jesus Christ we know we have eternal life! We will see that loved one again and we will be living and breathing and celebrating for all eternity! What a message we have to share with the world!
Life- it begins and it runs its course. I love in BraveHeart where Mel Gibson says, "every man dies, not every man really lives." If you want to really live then live in Jesus Christ who is Life itself. He has come to give us life to the full! Some days life doesn't feel very full. Some days we wish we could just close our eyes and go home. Sometimes pain keeps us from feeling alive. Someone once told me to find resurrection in the "death" around us. I wrote about that once in my journal. I had experience an agonizing loss in my life. This helped me and maybe it will help you too. I wrote it 5 years ago at 4 in the morning when it was raining out and could not sleep.
As I think of the leaves falling I’m reminded of how they return to the earth to nurture it. They make the sacrifice and die and decompose so that the soil may be enriched. And in this soil are buried the roots of trees that in the spring will say, here is resurrection as new leaves sprout. As I think of them sprouting it’s as if I hear them singing in the spring rain and warm sunshine. Their song is this: here is resurrection for though I looked dead I am alive... Where is resurrection in all this pain and misery? I don’t have the answers exactly but I’m starting to see them. I see them in new relationships that have come into my life. I see them in my ability to relate to people and their pain. I see resurrection power when I am able to be there for someone who is also looking for resurrection in his or her life. And if I can somehow help them or bring them hope then I can say this pain is not wasted. And if pain is not wasted, to me, that is the start of a celebration of resurrection. Outside the landscape is forever changing. Inside I am always me, child of God, husband, father, brother, son, nephew, cousin, friend….to somebody. And these people that love me remind me that there truly is resurrection. If I hang on to that I think I can bear to watch another leaf fall. It’s still dark out but I can see the landscape as clear as day.
Jesus is risen! It's a message that rings out each time Project 52 plants a tree. It's a message that says Jesus is Life!
In Christ,
Pastor John
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
AMEN! It shall be so.
Isn’t that so true….every man dies, not every man really lives. So many people just trudge on thru life one day after another, one day just meshing into the other, they are all the same, just another day. With Jesus in our lives every day is a glorious blessing. Every day is another day where we can be the hands and feet of Jesus. Every day is a day where we can share Jesus love with others. Every day is a day where we can stand at the gates of hell and with all our strength keep people from entering.
On Friday I was in San Diego talking with a homeless guy. His days were meshing one into the other. His name is Mike and we need to pray for him that he can find work and get him and his wife off the streets.
On Monday I was talking with a teenage girl and she was telling me how excited her and her friend is about going on an Urban Plunge inner city mission experience and sharing Jesus with others this coming weekend.
What about you guys? Do your days just fade into the next? Are your days glorious blessings? What about this week…what was your days like?
Pastor, I really like what you wrote in your journal. Really makes you stop and think. If pain is not wasted…that is resurrection. We all have pain. How can we help others by the pain that we have gone thru. I like how you say we need to hang on to the love of others, another day is coming. Thanks!
Thanks, Sandy, for your comments. God is using you to encourage me (in addition to Pastor John and others). We MUST tell others of Christ, of His love and forgiveness, His peace, His free gift of Salvation and I fail so many times to do this. Tomorrow is another day to live under "the Son" and grow in the Light.
Hey Colleen,
I'm right there with you. I fail so many times too. I like what you say...... Tomorrow is another day to live under "the Son" and grow in the Light.
Tomorrow is another day in which we can share the love of Jesus with someone, and who knows....we might be planting a seed, or watering a seed.....we may never know....we do know that we must do something....even telling someone that God loves them makes all the difference in the world.
Post a Comment