Introduction
This is not a paper given to Divine revelation but, given to a celebration of Life. A wonderful, all-consuming gift given to us by an all-consuming love from our Father in Heaven. “To life! To life! L’chai-im! L’chai-im, l’chai-im, to life!” is sung by Tevye from “Fiddler on the Roof”. L’chai-im means To Life. Among Jews, the Hebrew name of Haim is often given (also called: Hayim, Chayim, or Chaim) Meaning “Life”. You may recognize it.
Some may argue saying the Greatest Gift is our Salvation. I’m not arguing this point but before Salvation there had to be Life. God gave us Life. He created Life. He created me. He created you. Then He provided a means whereby we may spend this Life on earth and then move on to live throughout eternity. How we spend this life on earth will determine how we will spend eternity. Whether it be with Him or not. Whether we experience a “second death” or not. This is where the gift of Salvation comes into play.
“…then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” (Genesis 2:7) ESV
Whether we believe in God or not Life is our greatest gift. Scientists for years past and presently are studying where this “Life” came from. Believing Life came from some kind of source outside of ourselves is difficult for some to accept. Abraham believed that something or someone had to have absolute control of the universe for there to be anything but chaos. He believed and called this source God. He believed there was only one God when others did not, that there is a God above all other gods, one sole controlling absolute as opposed to many of life from chaos.
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” (Deuteronomy 6:4) ESV
This God Who Gave Us Life Also Protects This Life.
Remember “The Song Of The Sea” From Exodus 15
“I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is his name. “Pharaoh’s chariots and his host he cast into the sea, and his chosen officers were sunk in the Red Sea. The floods covered them; they went down into the depths like a stone. Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power, your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy. In the greatness of your majesty, you overthrow your adversaries; you send out your fury; it consumes them like stubble. At the blast of your nostrils, the waters piled up; the floods stood up in a heap; the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea. The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them. I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them.’ You blew with your wind; the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters. “Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?”
| Side Bar Let me digress for a moment. What I am saying here is that there is an order to everything in this world. However, there are artistic folk who, through their creative imaginations yearn to explore possibilities that are outside the realm of absolutes or God’s created design. This is still called art. However we go from beautiful paintings and music to broken artwork and broken music. I call it broken because it just doesn’t seem natural or even beautiful to me. I’m talking about going from beautiful Renaissance paintings and sculptures such as Michelangelo’s painting on the Sistine Chapel ceiling or his sculpture of the Pieta` in St Peter’s Basilica; to Picasso’s portraits of disfigured people. From Handel’s Messiah to vinyl record-scratching sound effects added to the music. I have trouble calling this music. To understand this better you must read Francis Schaeffer’s book “How Should We Then Live” (Click Here) where Schaeffer takes you on a walk through history and talks about the fate of a declining Western culture. My point is, broken art is not art nor does it depict Life as God designed it to be. Unless there is divine intervention this kind of thinking becomes a broken life. |
At one time my life was broken but I didn’t know it was broken. I thought I was creative, intelligent, liberal, always looking to the future and being inventive. I served myself and followed the path of least resistance as all natural things seem to do: Water, electricity, air, etc. “If it feels good do it” as many say today. I didn’t realize that I was slowly going downhill spiritually – the path of least resistance.
Why Celebrate Life
If it were not for Life we would not celebrate at all, would we? Life has its ups and downs. We all want the ups and not the downs. Preachers talk of going from mountaintop to mountaintop. I don’t know of anyone where this was true however all living, good and bad, comes in one package called Life. “That’s Life” as we often say. When God created man Life was breathed into him by our Creator. Life is a part of God Himself. It is what makes us alive. The “Fall” and Free Will” play a big picture in this Life but we will not discuss that today. Let’s celebrate Life with joy. On Resurrection Sunday (Easter) we sing “Alive, Alive, Alive forever more” rejoicing because of the resurrected life of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Soon we will enjoy our “resurrected life”.
We Are Immortal
We Christians are immortal. Our immortality began when we were Born Again. This Life will never end. We had a beginning but we will have no end. We will endure troubles and tribulations but death, the second death, will never harm us. We will simply leave this world, like leaving behind a dirty pare of socks, and enter His world for eternity. I have read many accounts that speak of leaving this world as though we are going to sleep and awakening somewhere else. This transference may begin violently but the transition itself is painless. I look forward to this transition with anticipation, wonder and joy. I look at it as a new adventure. There is anticipation for sure because we are going into an unknown, but exciting none-the-less. Something I’ve never done before.
“Beloved brothers and sisters, we want you to be quite certain about the truth concerning those who have passed away, so that you won’t be overwhelmed with grief like many others who have no hope (the second death). For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who died while believing in him. (the first death)” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14) TPT
“Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection (the first death); over these, the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:6) TPT
“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the despicable, the murderers, the perverts, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all deceivers, they will find their place in the lake of fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8) TPT
Bible Verses on Life
I’m sure you are aware that the Bible touts many verses on life. Among the most important (my opinion) are:
“I am the Resurrection, and I am Life Eternal. Anyone who clings to me in faith, even though he dies, will live forever. And the one who lives by believing in me will never die. (John 11:25-26) TPT
“If your faith remains strong, even while surrounded by life’s difficulties, you will continue to experience the untold blessings of God! True happiness comes as you pass the test with faith, and receive the victorious crown of life promised to every lover of God!” (James 1:12) TPT
What Do Christians Say About Life
“Let God have your life. He can do more with it than you can” (Dwight L. Moody).
“I did not write it (Life). God wrote it. I merely did his dictation.” (Harriet Beecher Stowe – Uncle Tom’s Cabin)
“When you understand that life is a test, you realize that nothing is insignificant in your life.” (Rick Warren)
“We don’t seek to escape this life by dreaming of heaven. But we do find we can endure this life because of the certainty of heaven. Heaven is eternal. Earth is temporal. Those who fix all their affections of the fleeting things of this world are the real escapists because they are vainly attempting to avoid facing eternity – by hiding in the fleeting shadows of things that are only transient.” (John MacArthur)
A Conundrum
Many of the brilliant artists, teachers, philosophers, scientists, poets, and, writers in history have provided wonderful discoveries which have been beneficial to mankind. Advances in medicine alone have helped mankind survive in this fallen world. But if they never believed in an everlasting, loving God, their eternal future is in dire jeopardy. If they have never spoken of or somehow given acknowledgment to our Creator, all of their contributions, no matter how wonderful they are are but temporal. They lead to no eternal benefit for mankind. They have led no one to an eternal purpose in God. Their lives are wasted.
Conclusion
If you are Born Again and have truly given your Life to Jesus. Don’t try to take it back because of all the troubles that come to you. Remain faithful. It’s not yours to take back. What you are experiencing is called Life. It is different for each of us. It is designed with a Divine purpose. Don’t miss out on that purpose. Soon you will understand it even as you are understood.
“For now we see but a faint reflection of riddles and mysteries as though reflected in a mirror, but one day we will see face-to-face. My understanding is incomplete now, but one day I will understand everything, just as everything about me has been fully understood.” (1 Corinthians 12:13) TPT
“For if you let your life go for my sake and the sake of the gospel, you will continually experience true life. But if you choose to keep your life for yourself, you will forfeit what you try to keep. For what use is it to gain all the wealth and power of this world, with everything it could offer you, at the cost of your own life? And what could be more valuable to you than your soul? So among the unfaithful and sinful people living today, if you are ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of you when he makes his appearance with his holy messengers in the glorious splendor of his Father!” (Mark 8:35-38) TPT
This is a fact that can not be denied – “There is no greater sadness than this, a Life without Christ is a life that is wasted.”
Enough said
“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts.” (Jeremiah 15:16 ESV)
