Life and Death

2 Cor 5:14,15 "For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again."

Paul continues in this chapter talking about the temporariness of this life. He is really hammering it home: "this tent, is destroyed", "we who are in this tent groan", "while at home in the body we are absent from the Lord", "we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ". And then this summary statement: Christ died for all and we are all dead. It all looks so foreboding. Really, not too many people like to think about this stuff. We like to think that we are going to live long healthy lives because we want to hang on to what we have here. Paul says: "No. Your perspective has to be different." Why? Really because of the hope that we have: To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. That is hope. "For we walk by faith and not by sight." (v7) and as a result our mindset has to be this: We "who live should no longer live for ourselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again."

Our death is really our life, not only in the future, but today…right now…as I sit here. Jesus died and rose again. Now there is hope. There is peace. There is a secure eternity. And there is the reason for life. Christ died so I could have eternal life. I owe Him everything. He has secured my place in heaven some day, so what should I do as I live? Live for Him.

I can get so wrapped up in myself. I think about what I prayed for this morning. I prayed for Dave Underwood. (Thankfully, that is not me centered.) I prayed about my impact in VBS. (Me.) I prayed about my back. (Me.) I prayed about having wisdom at work. (Me) Sure I prayed about my wife and kids and church and country, but as I prayed I actually thought that the big ticket items were the ones I mentioned. And then I read this verse. "those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again." This should not only change the way that I live, it should change the way that I pray. No longer for myself…but for Him who died and rose again. And what is on Jesus' heart? Other people. How should I live? Not for myself. Not for my pleasures. Not for my wants. Not for my goals. But for Christ. For what He wants. For who He wants to reach out to.

This really is tough stuff. It is dying to myself and living for Him. It is a constant battle because my flesh is so powerful. But…He died and rose again. God help me keep this fresh every day.