This morning in my worship time, I was singing to the Lord.
I was singing an old song when I began to meditate on the words of the song.
I want to share some of those words with you today.
He came from heaven to earth, to show the way.
From the earth to the cross, my debt you paid.
From the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky,
Lord, I lift your name on high. (Rick Founds, 1989)
From the earth to the cross – in this I believe God was showing me that when we are born again, we leave the ways of the world and embrace the finished work of the cross.
From the cross to the grave – I don’t know about you, but when I became born again, there were many things I had to die to. There were also many things in my life that were not producing godly fruit, therefore I had to let them go and bury them, once and for all. Old mindsets. My own ways of doing things. Total dependence on myself – these are all things I had to die to and instead, embrace God’s way of doing things. Making Him my provider and my source for all things.
From the grave to the sky – when we choose to go God’s way and die to the things of this world, we are empowered to live the Kingdom life that Jesus died to give us.
In John 10:10, Jesus said; The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Jesus came to earth to give us life, the zoe life of God. An abundant life. A life filled with hope, health, wisdom, peace, restoration and wholeness. Are we living the fulness of that life today?
Matthew 6:10 says; Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
On earth, as it is in heaven. Imagine that for a moment. God wants us to live life as heaven on earth. That our life would be just as it is in heaven.
Where there is no division, no sickness, no disease, no pain, no lack and no tragedies or trauma. Can you imagine a life like that?
That is what Jesus died to give us. Are we partaking of this precious gift?
He came to show the way. First, we must accept Jesus as our Lord, and not just our Savior. What does that mean? That means not only did He save us and become our Savior, but He also became our Lord – the One we look to for direction and choose to go His way. He becomes Lord of our life – we defer to Him, and His Word. We must embrace His truth and His way of doing things.
Next, we must die to anything that is hindering us from walking in the fulness of the promises of God. We must lay aside every weight or sin in our life. We cannot allow anything, including old mindsets, to hinder us from walking in all God has for us.
Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. (Heb 12:1)
Finally, as we continue walking in God’s plan and His ways, we find we are indeed living the Kingdom life Jesus died to give us. We arise from the grave of the things that held us down to the life of heaven on earth. That is God’s ultimate plan for us.
However, He has done all He is going to do. He sent His precious Son to die in our place. To hang on a cross. To go into the grave and to rise again. All for us. The price has been paid in full. Our job? Believe what He said and walk in it.
My friend, the abundant life is ours for the taking. Jesus came to show us the way to that very life. Are we willing to pursue it? Will we lay hold of it? Will we do things His way? Those are the questions we alone must answer for ourselves.
My prayer for you? That you embrace His way and His Word and begin to enjoy the abundant life Jesus died to give you. This day. This very day.
