"...the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing...they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God." Isaiah 35:1, 2
The presence of God means many things. Several we've looked at before were truth and light. Now we add another one: Life.
"Our God is a consuming fire," i.e., ever growing, never static, over abundant energy. There is never a sterile monotony with God; there is always a flair, an exuberance, life. Deadness is the furthest thing from Christianity, and yet it is so often pictured as such. If we really believe in sacramental living, if we really believe that God Almighty now dwells in our bodies, deadness can never be a part of our reality. The true life of God is too much to contain. We often successfully bury it under stinking piles of legalistic to-do lists or sentimental fluff and trash, but even that cannot contain it. Death itself could not hold such life in the grave; and at the midnight hour, its song will disturb you out of sleep, and you will feel the ache of knowing that you are not truly living.
"The desert shall...blossom as the rose." Does that happen in our lives? Do those who are barren feel the irresistible presence of Life when you come around? Or do you have to hand them a tract before they realize you're a child of God? Most of evangelism (generally speaking, of course) is to take place before we even speak a word.
Please note that there is a difference between deadness and death. Death is (for the Christian) the gateway to life; through Christ's death we are saved, and through dying daily we release the Life of God in ourselves and to others. Deadness, however, is the continual absence of life. We are to recklessly embrace the former and utterly condemn the latter. The death that leads to life should be a hallmark of a Christian, but deadness should have absolutely no meaning to them.
If such living sounds like a high standard, it is one. However, it is a high standard because through Christ we have been given the Highest, i.e., the presence of power of God Almighty. Christ did not save us into keeping rules or being good; He saved us into God-likeness, and that is only possible if somehow, someway, everything that God is, we are.
Your Life is abundant.
Your Love is extravagant,
That You would give me
Your Love and Life...
-Jon Vowell
The presence of God means many things. Several we've looked at before were truth and light. Now we add another one: Life.
"Our God is a consuming fire," i.e., ever growing, never static, over abundant energy. There is never a sterile monotony with God; there is always a flair, an exuberance, life. Deadness is the furthest thing from Christianity, and yet it is so often pictured as such. If we really believe in sacramental living, if we really believe that God Almighty now dwells in our bodies, deadness can never be a part of our reality. The true life of God is too much to contain. We often successfully bury it under stinking piles of legalistic to-do lists or sentimental fluff and trash, but even that cannot contain it. Death itself could not hold such life in the grave; and at the midnight hour, its song will disturb you out of sleep, and you will feel the ache of knowing that you are not truly living.
"The desert shall...blossom as the rose." Does that happen in our lives? Do those who are barren feel the irresistible presence of Life when you come around? Or do you have to hand them a tract before they realize you're a child of God? Most of evangelism (generally speaking, of course) is to take place before we even speak a word.
Please note that there is a difference between deadness and death. Death is (for the Christian) the gateway to life; through Christ's death we are saved, and through dying daily we release the Life of God in ourselves and to others. Deadness, however, is the continual absence of life. We are to recklessly embrace the former and utterly condemn the latter. The death that leads to life should be a hallmark of a Christian, but deadness should have absolutely no meaning to them.
If such living sounds like a high standard, it is one. However, it is a high standard because through Christ we have been given the Highest, i.e., the presence of power of God Almighty. Christ did not save us into keeping rules or being good; He saved us into God-likeness, and that is only possible if somehow, someway, everything that God is, we are.
Your Life is abundant.
Your Love is extravagant,
That You would give me
Your Love and Life...
-Jon Vowell
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