Envy of Another’s Life

“I wish I had his life,”

I caught myself muttering knowing there were more hours on a clock that kept me prisoner from my home.  I think we’ve all been there gawking in assumption and wanting the blatant and carefree lifestyles the fortunate parade before those struggling with life’s difficulties.  As bills pile higher and something new suddenly needs repair, while the single mom races towards her second job or an anxious father stands by his child’s first chemo treatment, my prayers for relief are reduced to groans that well from the pit of sadness deep within my gut.  Obviously, life is not fair in our ability to enjoy it and asking “Why” may be even more frustrating.  But, if I am absolutely honest, I really don’t want their life…actually I want something much more – immeasurably more.   I want to know a life free of pain and sorrow that fears nothing and rests in a state of incorruptible love.   I know that this type of life cannot be bought by even the wealthiest yet ironically comes at a price all are capable of giving.  The cost you ask? It costs us everything we are capable of expressing in humble gratitude when we discover the mercy of being forgiven.  It is realizing the wisdom of obedience that allows true freedom in God’s will as we set our eyes towards sainthood.  Still our eyes are drawn to grass that’s always greener and we desperately beg God for some relief from our physical, emotional, and/or financial concerns.  Maybe the greatest mystery of becoming Christian is the kenotic concept to further empty ourselves even if we feel we have come to the end of ourself.  Still we must empty, not only to reflect how Christ abandoned His mighty throne to become a fragile human embryo, but so we may truly accept our forgiveness won for us through His death.  As time marches on and another’s once green grass soon browns, it is not their life I envy but that which Christ offers.  As possibly confusing and broad the Christian road may be towards obtaining salvific life in Christ, narrow is the way through obedience.  In order to obtain a gift one must accept it – even with little faith.  Obedience is our expression of love and humility towards a merciful Savior not a taskmaster.  His commands are the footprints we follow while perfectly yoked to His strength and guidance.  Allowing us to carry our burden with Christ is the opportunity to work in the very shadow of the very cross we carry.  Sometimes unknowingly, as hard as we work, Jesus bears the heavier portion which is sufficient for our humility while abiding in His promise and true presence. Grace abounds in our opportunities to labor in God’s fields and stand thunderstruck in the joy of the harvest.  Work is not a commodity applied to Grace, it is reflection of our true purpose and capacity to glorify God.  It is here in our most difficult times of work that our cross is absorbed into His and the narrow road before us becomes the Kingdom at hand.  So..no I don’t want another’s life – just give me Jesus because He alone is Life.

Pick up your cross,

Chris

How do you express your gratitude of being forgiven through Christ’s saving work at Calvary?

Heaven’s Litmus Test?

Are you ready for Heaven? 

Imagine, The One who reads all hearts has called you by a new name and welcomes you home as His son or daughter.   Your new name seems to have its own unique dimension that does not simply tie you to a common name but IS you.  Our new name harmoniously dwells in the realm of the Great I AM.   It is only upon your final perfection through the redemptive capacity of God’s Son, Jesus, that your name now explains your very purpose.   Constant songs of Grace and undeserved forgiveness surround and pass into your new body, like a wind instrument playing gratefully for its Maker.  Amid the many unfamiliar faces you soon recognize one intentionally approaching you.   Although your memory of your mortality is fading to reminders of your works now visibly seen as grateful treasures, that familiar face now standing in front of you is that of the man who murdered your seven-year old daughter.   Amazingly, you both joyfully embrace in the shared reality within the ambient forgiveness of God’s Kingdom.  As you gently pull away looking deep into the now gentle eyes of a humble and pardoned man, you both join in the songs of forgiveness as if you were breathing life-giving air itself… and the little hand of your daughter finally…slips…back… into…yours.

…So are you ready for Heaven?  If you think you are ready then let your heart answer the next three questions from God: 

1) Do you love me? 

2) Do you Love me?

3) Do you LOVE me? 

…So how’d you do?  Maybe some love to proclaim His Name, speak of prophecies, and even perform miracles in His name, but some of those faces may be absent in Heaven?  Truly there is assurance in the capacity of Jesus to perfect our perjured hearts into gleaming purity before The Father, yet what is our part in this divine handshake.  Even St. Peter, an apostle “on fire” for his priest, prophet and King, still denied Him when overwhelmed with fear.   What doubtful part of St. Peter’s heart remained dry and hardened with fear?  Our part, as was St. Peter’s, is to finally and without regret ask to allow the light of Calvary’s forgiveness to drench our hearts completely.   Although we forgive and never forget, our gratitude of Calvary’s sacrifice is the humble key, our hopeful mustard seed,  that unlocks the greenhouse of God’s three questions asked of St. Peter and us.  The incorruptible seed of Christ’s assurance to eternal bliss offers us impossibilities we have yet to fathom.  While our heart’s garden awaits a new springtime we must willingly choose to offer fertile compost by mortifying our pride and lusts of our eyes and flesh.  Like toiling the cursed ground, our sweat is the proof our efforts.   Christian credibility is both doing what we say and saying what we do.  The “why” behind what we say and do cannot remain hidden but as visible as the love that held Jesus to His cross.  From the fruit of an innocent virgin’s womb to the cross, our Tree of Life which now holds our eternal fruit of forgiveness, is ours for the taking.   It is gratitude that hears the Holy Spirit’s beckoning to take and eat of this crucified fruit out of both sorrow and joy.  It is this gift of gratitude that enables us to truly believe in the person of Jesus so we may say, “Yes Lord, you know I love you.”

…So are you ready for Heaven? 

His Peace,

Chris

How important is forgiveness to you and to the Christian faith?

As fear uncovered the doubt in St. Peter’s heart, he realized he wasn’t responding like he thought he would.  Have you asked the Holy Spirit to search your heart to expose whatever doubt may still be hidden from you?

Surrender towards fruition

Are we known by the fruit we bear?  Since we can only see ourselves dimly, one could honestly say we barely know ourselves.  If, and ony if, Jesus knows us, then the few narrowly trodding in the shadow of His obedience will be given the divine vision to finally see themselves and God.  It will be in that timeless instant of eternity that one will know what has been graciously hidden from our earthly eyesight.  Although our present vision can recognize the fruit of another’s service, the branch of true intentions and heart’s surrender from which this fruit sways is seen only by our Holy Judge.  Consider the fruit from the inspired penning of the life-saving gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John or the tenacious leadership of Peter and Paul.  Now consider the most precious fruit ever surrendered in complete innocence from a favored virgin’s womb.  Imagine if we could borrow just a glimpse of divine vision to truly see and finally know the splendor of  God’s purpose. 1 Corinthians 13:12 declares, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.  Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.”  1 Corinthians 13:12 is our true inspiration not to judge what we dimly see.

His Peace,

Chris

Tell me, how do you think God sees us now? 

What potential did Jesus see as He wearily looked down from His cross and begged the Father to “forgive them for they know not what their doing?”