Daily Thought for Thursday, April 7th

April 7, 2011

Dead, Buried, Resurrected

(A Spiritual Introspection on ‘Dying to Live’ and “Living Like You Are Dying’)

“Let us endeavor to so live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.”

– Mark Twain

Today’s Thought:

“Life and death are but phases of the same thing, the reverse and obverse of the same coin. Death is as necessary for man’s growth as life itself. ” – Mahatma Gandhi

Today’s Question

Did you know that, “Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in one’s own sunshine?” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today’s Spiritual Thought:

“Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

– The Bible (Job 1:20-21)

It has been said there are only two guarantees in life; these are death and taxes.  But there is more to life than death and more to living than waiting to die, especially for a born again believer.

On the issue of living and dying, at times, it would seem the scriptures are almost paradoxical.  But they aren’t.  They tell us that Christ came to give life and give it more abundantly while at the same time telling us we must die to all the things that the world considers life to be.

Dag Hammarskjold may have been on the right track with this thought, “Do not seek death, Death will find you.  But seek the road which makes death fulfillment.”

See, for the Christian we don’t live to die, we die to live. 

In fact, all humanity doesn’t really live to die, they just live to pass from this world into the next and depending on what our choice concerning God’s offer of salvation is: our eternal life, the continuance of our existence for ever and ever will be determined.  We will either be with Christ for all eternity or burn in Hell for the same amount of time. 

Spiritually speaking, we are dead in our trespass in sin until we come to Christ for salvation and then we are born again to walk in newness of life, which requires us to die daily to sin, temptation and the things of this world that would separate us from the will and work of God.

So see, simply put, the spiritual life is a life of daily dying to live for the glory of God.

And we need live that life of daily dying with intensity and expectancy, so much so that we view each moment of each day as if it could be our last opportunity to live for the one who died for our sins and now lives again and sits at the right hand of the Father, waiting for the trumpet to announce His glorious return.

So whether you live and let die or die and let live, do so for the glory and honor of Him who holds all your tomorrows in His hand.

Today’s Verses:

For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

                        Galatians 2:19-20

According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.  For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.

Philippians 1:20-24

Today’s Prayer:

Father, may I die to sin, self and the world, so I can live for you: and may I live with a fervency and expectation like I could die at any minute and have no more time to do what you need me to get done.