God performed a miracle in my life in 2007 that God used to teach and reteach me a few things.
When I was in the hospital I really remember very little so let me give you a partial timeline. On Sunday Dec. 2, I remember going to the emergency room at Susan B. Allen Hospital, then they checked me into a room which I can somewhat recall. I was there for two days and didn't remember anything until Tuesday. On Tuesday (not knowing the day then) I remember riding down the elevator and being put in the ambulance. After that my next memory is waking up in the ICU at St. Francis on Dec.10. There was a whole week of my life that I lost and have no idea where it went. Well I do now that I have been told.
During that week and a day I was living but was not really alive. I slept unconsciously through that whole time. This may sound bad but it is so true. What is even worse is that there are many people who live in this world but are not truly alive. This is true for those who call themselves Christians and those who don’t believe.
First let's talk about those who don’t know Christ. They go through life living here on earth but have no idea that they are not truly alive. They work and play and do what everyone else does. Then one day they will be awakened and will realize that they were living but were not really alive, because they did not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. But by then it will be too late.
Now let's address something that is a little less obvious but a lot more dangerous. There are many Christians who have life in Christ but don’t live in Christ. They just unconsciously go through life. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” They think that, as long as they have Jesus in their heart and go to church on Sunday, and know they have a place in heaven, that is enough. Well they have life but aren’t really living. We are reminded in Romans 8:11 ”if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” The richness and fullness of life isn’t just something that God wants us to have in heaven, He wants us to have it here and now as well. That life comes from pursuing a relationship with Jesus and becoming like Him. Jesus says in John 13:15 “I have set you an example, that you should do as I have done for you.” We are to live as Christ did, by loving those around us and sharing His love. We as Christians will be held accountable for the way we live and share our faith. We are to live and try to be as Christ-like as we can every day, not just on Sundays. The only way to do this is to live by faith. We are told in Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
Hebrews 10:22 reminds us, “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” We must seek Him daily to build our faith and then live that faith out. As we draw nearer to Jesus our faith is strengthened not only for our own assurance but also to give us the fortitude to live that faith out. That initial commitment to Jesus and acceptance of forgiveness and eternal life is just the doorway into life. God intends for that life to be so much more than a carrot on the end of the stick that we are trying to get to. He means for that life to begin here on Earth in our physical life as we seek Him and draw nearer to Him, as we become more like Him. This is a process that makes life so rich and incredibly satisfying.
James 2:26 says, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” If we claim to have Christ in our heart but don't live like it in our daily actions and words and trying to draw closer to Christ and drawing others into the kingdom, then we are just alive in Christ but not living in Christ. True life comes in the here and now as we build that relationship with the groom who will one day return for His bride. ( A bride whom He desires to be full of life and joy and fully connected to and in love with Him.)
Remember we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God (1 Peter 2:9). Let’s all remember that and be sure that we live up to that call of our Creator, Father, Lord, Savior and Betrothed. Lets live the life to which He has called us and desires to bless us with.
ARE YOU JUST LIVING OR ARE YOU TRULY ALIVE?
THINK ABOUT IT, PRAY ABOUT IT.
Pastor Sean