To Live to Die
As the song was being sung the other day, and I mouthed the words, for the 1,000th time, I had to pause and ponder on the words.... "you lived to die".
And I pictured Jesus as a child, a young man, and finally a man always being fully aware of his purpose for living. Being alive, living a daily life, all the while knowing that his sole purpose for being here on earth was to die.
While so many of us struggle with determining what our purpose in life is. At times, it seems impossible to determine which decisions to make and what roles to fill. And yet, for Jesus it was clear from the day he arrived on earth in a barn house. He was born on a wooden box, and he would die on a wooden cross.
I can't even imagine it. In a sense, it is an awesome thing to know one's purpose. On the other hand, to know that everything in your life is leading up to the one moment of fulfilling your purpose through death... that is beyond words of explanation. And why would anyone do that? How could he do it? What a selfless state of being!
And yet, of course, we're speaking about the son of God. Therefore, the experience must have been unique and superlative. In my human eyes, I can only see a man who's whole life served a purpose for me.
Receiving nothing in return, but the satisfaction of knowing that God's will was done.
That the world would have a savior, and that many will gain salvation and eternal life.
And the story is not complete without the resurrection. You see his purpose was to die for humanity's curse. But had he remained in the grave, we would have reason now to wonder if this was truly the son of God. But the fact that he rose from the dead leaving an empty grave and ascending into heaven before a crowd of witnesses, that is where the true joy of receiving salvation is complete.
That is when I know that I can accept that gift of life that Jesus suffered for. Because I will be able to spend eternity with my savior. I will be able to give back all of the glory that He deserves for saving me. And I will finally be able to say "thank you" to my savior face to face.
Warning: This video may seem a bit gruesome to some, although it is but a reenactment of the real thing.
http://youtu.be/eckskOzB1-Y
And I pictured Jesus as a child, a young man, and finally a man always being fully aware of his purpose for living. Being alive, living a daily life, all the while knowing that his sole purpose for being here on earth was to die.
While so many of us struggle with determining what our purpose in life is. At times, it seems impossible to determine which decisions to make and what roles to fill. And yet, for Jesus it was clear from the day he arrived on earth in a barn house. He was born on a wooden box, and he would die on a wooden cross.
I can't even imagine it. In a sense, it is an awesome thing to know one's purpose. On the other hand, to know that everything in your life is leading up to the one moment of fulfilling your purpose through death... that is beyond words of explanation. And why would anyone do that? How could he do it? What a selfless state of being!
And yet, of course, we're speaking about the son of God. Therefore, the experience must have been unique and superlative. In my human eyes, I can only see a man who's whole life served a purpose for me.
Receiving nothing in return, but the satisfaction of knowing that God's will was done.
That the world would have a savior, and that many will gain salvation and eternal life.
And the story is not complete without the resurrection. You see his purpose was to die for humanity's curse. But had he remained in the grave, we would have reason now to wonder if this was truly the son of God. But the fact that he rose from the dead leaving an empty grave and ascending into heaven before a crowd of witnesses, that is where the true joy of receiving salvation is complete.
That is when I know that I can accept that gift of life that Jesus suffered for. Because I will be able to spend eternity with my savior. I will be able to give back all of the glory that He deserves for saving me. And I will finally be able to say "thank you" to my savior face to face.
Warning: This video may seem a bit gruesome to some, although it is but a reenactment of the real thing.
http://youtu.be/eckskOzB1-Y
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