Let Him In and Live!

I can't think of a better title for this posting because it simply states a desire the Lord has for each and every one of us. Being able to "live life to the fullest" is a gift that the Lord bestows to His children, provided we let Him in and let Him lead. In other words, we must be Spirit-filled and Spirit-led. What does this mean? I am sure we all understand by now that the root of our faith system germinates from belief. Belief in turn makes way for the Holy Spirit to do its part--deepening us, stretching us, and expanding us into dynamic creatures, fearfully and wonderfully made. To top it all off, there are no two exactly alike. Despite what you may think, we are not expected to be cookie-cutter Christians. We do not have to give up our identities and blend in with our fellow believers. We are not expected to act out our lives like puppets. If that were so, we wouldn't be living. God wants us to enjoy life abundantly as it pertains to our personal interests. What moves you? What are your passions? We can enjoy these things provided we make God the center of it, allowing Him to lead us into the adventure He has prepared for us daily.

Personally, I love the beach. If I had more time, I would spend most of my days atop the glistening, gold sand, absorbing the sun, and watching the waves crash upon the shoreline. I would wash my hands of my daily obligations and lose myself in the water-color canvas perpetually illustrated by our Maker--a splash of blue above me, a hint of seafoam green advancing and retreating at the very tip of my toes, and dark, majestic rolling hills behind me, serving as my rear-guard. There is not a safer place to be than in God's plan, perfectly positioned in the snapshot of this present moment.

Now stop. Rewind. Imagine this. I took a can of black paint and poured it all over this serene portrait. I took the paintbrush out of my Father's grip and smeared it in a cyclonic whirlwind of habitual darkness. The only thing that exists in this portrait as of now is me.

Spiritually speaking, this is how I imagine it to be if we are dead in faith. We are not truly LIVING (and I don't mean just breathing, existing, and engaging in the routine). If we let down the shield of faith, then we are susceptible to darkness. The result is tragic as many of us go on with our lives, blinded by deceit and unaware of the treasures that are stored up around us within arms reach, never touched and never opened.

Scripture states in John 11:8 [paraphrased] that the disciples questioned Jesus as to why He would return to Judea after the Jews threatened to stone him. Jesus paid no mind to their concern for He was on a mission to see Lazarus, a man whom He loved. Lazarus was ill and later we come to find that Jesus had foreknowledge of his death. Nonetheless, He is determined to make His way back to Judea, despite any opposition, as He explains to His disciples, "'Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.'" (John 11:10)

Jesus is teaching His disciples, including us, that life without Him is one stumbling block after another. We are completely unaware that the lamp before our feet is much closer than we think. A former youth pastor of our church must have had this principle in mind when she named our youth group organization "ALIVE", which is an acronym for their mission statement: Always Live in View of Eternity. This one word makes a huge statement and our youth seemed to catch on pretty quickly. Like most teenaged boys and girls, they too know how to have fun. They like to plan church events and spend time in fellowship with one another. I suppose at this age you can afford to be carefree when you don't yet have the burdens of responsibility. However, one invaluable lesson our youth can teach us is that it is possible to live in the moment, being conscious that you are ALIVE, while still remaining focused on the Light.

As we read on in John 11, we find that Jesus wept for Lazarus before He raised him from the dead. I believe just as Jesus grieved for Lazarus, He too bemoans over every one of us who are dead in our faith. We carry out lives devoid of the robust and rich promise that God has offered to us just because we can't see it. Martha, Lazarus' sister, who was convinced that she would never see her brother again, warned Jesus before pulling back the stone of his tomb that the body had been dead for four days. Jesus responds by stating, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" (John 11:40) Jesus is insinuating here that belief is all it takes for Lazarus to be raised from the dead. If we recall earlier in this text, Jesus reveals the true purpose of His journey to Judea, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up." (John 11:11) Aren't we, just like Lazarus, a friend of God? As Jesus did for him, He will also do for us. He will awaken us from the slumber of our minds and deliver us from our dead works, so that we can move forward with our lives as TRUE LIVING awaits us on the horizon.

"Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light." (Ephesians 5:14) On my way home this evening, I was reminded of this scripture in a rather peculiar way. I had a pair of sunglasses on that I had been wearing pretty much all day to block out the glare of the sun while I was driving. As the sun began to set, everything that was once touched by its radiant glow turned into a dated photograph, the saturation of vibrant colors faded out into a muted gray. Suddenly it hit me that I was still wearing my sunglasses. The minute I took them off, I could see clearly. The world around me wasn't at all drab, damp and dead. In fact, it was just the opposite, still thriving and full of life! I liken this scenario to the scripture I mentioned earlier. We can choose to live with our shades on, in the vapid realm we create OR we can take them off and be delivered from darkness with Christ serving as our true source of light.

Living in the fullness of Christ also means letting go of the shackles that bind us. Scripture states, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." (Galatians 5:1) The enemy has proven himself successful in the area of strongholds. He knows that if we remain bound and defeated, slaves to our finances, personal addictions, and relationships, then we will never fully know what it means to live abundantly and filled with God's glory! Without even realizing it, we may be submitting ourselves to daily obsessions of various forms. It could be the way we count our calories, our jobs and careers, or the amount of time we spend in front of the internet. The list goes on. Remember, the more we fill our lives with worry, preoccupation, or idle time, the less we hear God's voice as He tries to reveal the perfectly tailored-fit plan He has for each and every one of us!

Referring back to the story of Lazarus, Jesus not only commanded him to come out of his tomb, but he also stated, "Loose him, and let him go." (John 11:44) Literally, Jesus was giving orders to the people that stood amongst Him to remove the "graveclothes", the cloth Lazarus was wrapped in. However, I can't help but think that this must be the very same command He makes in the face of the adversary every time He engages in warfare to win back our souls. It is over every bondage the enemy has successfully wrapped us up in that God declares, "Loose him, and let him go!" "He is mine!" God gives us an opportunity every minute that we are breathing to break free from our strongholds on this earth, Let Him in, and LIVE--not just in the promise of eternal life that awaits us, but today! There is so much to experience on this earth that is never uncovered all because we are too afraid to LIVE! Please, beloved readers, I earnestly beseech you, do not fall by the wayside and watch life pass you by. Whatever it takes and by whatever means, make the choice to LIVE!