In our series, A Look at Life from the Garden, we’ve examined the Power of Persistence, as well as the Power of Patience. Today we’re going to look at the Power of Life.
An enjoyable aspect of most of my days is getting outside and going on a run. I’m not trying to break records, and I’m not even really running for exercise primarily. The main reason I run is to clear my head, to meet with God, and to process life and ministry. A consistent running route for me is through North Lakes Park. There are a set of trails that wind their way through the brushy shrubs, low-top mesquite trees, cottonwoods, hackberries, elms, and myriad wildflowers and native grasses. Often, as I’m running through these trails or even walking in the early morning hours, I’ll get wafts of sweet aromas that remind me of a fig tree and wildflowers. It’s really a special place, and it’s another garden that God has given me to observe His handiwork and to apply principles to my life.
In the case of the our topic today–The Power of Life–a principle that we find is quite surprising. As you examine the picture above, what may initially jump out is the dark and charred ground. I’m not sure what caused the burn, but the wildflowers, the trees and shrubs, and the grasses in that area are dead. However, in the midst of the death, new life is appearing. Even in spite of what seems to be a mini-drought here in this part of Texas, you can see small green grasses beginning to shoot up from the ashes. And this picture–death to life–is a beautiful display of the Christian life.
How Does This Apply To Us Today?
For the Christian to live, they must die–spiritually speaking. Humanity–because of being riddled with sin–is born with a spiritual problem. In essence, when a human enters the world they inherit the incurable disease of sin that leads to all sorts of evil–thoughts, actions, words, and the like. That’s why it’s so easy for little babies to say, “Mine!”. Our selfish tendencies only reveal our need, and as we get older we see this more and more. And the real dilemma is…we can’t fix or alter the corruption as it metastasizes inside of us. We can’t just do the right things or avoid the wrong things to get rid of the sickness. You know what I mean. It’s the nasty thoughts that keep coming back over and over. It’s the words spoken in anger time and time again. It’s the addiction to the things or pleasure or control that makes us spend more than we have, waste time that can never be restored, or fight for something that slips through our fingers over and over again. Really, thinking we can stop this daily battle of sin is like trying to wash out bleach that was poured all over a pair of new jeans. You just can’t get rid of the stain. You might as well throw the stained jeans away and buy a new pair. In effect, that’s what God does with us when we become followers of His.
“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked…But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)…”
Ephesians 2:1, 2a, 4-5
- When anyone turns to God in faith, they are made a new creature. That’s why Paul said, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” In other words, God has to kill the sin disease that infects us, and He does this through our turning to Him in faith. From death comes life. Incredible, as well as a necessary aspect of coming into and remaining in fellowship with God forever.
- Additionally, as any follower of Christ lives, they know with certainty that the same desires toward sin remain. They may wish that the evil desires and actions were just eradicated, but they aren’t. While God has dealt with the power of sin by making His follower’s new creatures, there remains what Paul calls “the flesh”. This aspect of the Christian life is quite a struggle. A person who cannot understand this either thinks they will reach a state of perfection (only to find themselves failing or becoming a legalist), or they live in constant despair by trying and trying in their own power to make themselves good enough or clean enough. I love what Paul says in 2 Corinthians, “And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” This not a license to sin, but rather a license to admit need, and therefore find strength to resist in the power of grace given by Christ. In other words, God’s grace was given to bring a dead sinful soul into life through faith, and it is also given to those who are seeking to follow God by turning away from their evil inclinations and corruption in humility, weakness, and vulnerability.
- Therefore, the battle for the follower of Christ is to continue to seek life from death…to fight for it…to take heaven by storm…
- “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him…” Colossians 3:5, 8-10
So, choose LIFE…not death. Choose the things of God, not the things of this world. Choose to love with your words–to build up–instead of to tear down–to criticize. Choose to edify those in your spheres of influence. Choose to build them up with your actions, your support, and your taking notice of their strengths. Choose life, because you have been given a new life in Christ. Choose Him–choose life.
— July 27, 2018