Dead to the world

I opened my eyes to squint at the time on my computer = 6-something. "Why did he turn on the light in the other room?" I groused silently at my husband. "He knows light wakes me." But I got up.

Ummm, the light wasn't coming from a bulb. We have a 2'X3' window in the other room. It was sunlight insisting it was day. I checked my watch: it was actually 8:30 a.m. That fine man was long gone to teach. And I'd slept like the dead through his departure. "Sorry, dear."

"Dead to the world" has several meanings besides sleeping deeply. When we were young, the pastor would immerse converts in baptism with these words: "... by which I demonstrate I am dead to the world and the world is dead to me." Have you heard that lately?

Seems we forget that, just as we are present while sleeping, we are fully alive in the world. For most of us, being "dead to the world" won't mean fleeing into a monastery or living in the dark woods far from civilization. When we're dead asleep, we're completely on the bed. Our bodies, minds, spirits, and emotions stay with us.

But our state is altered. We wait unconscious to surroundings, our bodies and minds renewing themselves in rest.

That's how it is to be spiritually "dead to the world." The affections and attractions of our surroundings no longer capture our attention. We are attuned to the Father's presence and His work. Though we are in the world, we wait for God's direction, uninterested in participating in impure or evil thoughts or actions.

Would you like to spend the day with God, watching only Him, doing only what He asks of you? That's what we promised Him and our witnesses when we were baptized.

God opens our eyes to the needy, shares our skills with the helpless, and spreads our love among the broken ... as we live dead to the world and alive to Christ Jesus our Lord.

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*What right have you to recite my statutes, or take my covenant on your lips? For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you. Psalm 50:16-17 NEV

*Jesus said, "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I tell you?" Luke 6:46 NEV

*What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. From Romans 6 ESV

Moravian Prayer: We thank you Lord for your willingness to forgive our foolish acts and decisions. May we find ways to follow your example and lead more honest lives deserving of your love. Amen.

C.S. Lewis: He who has God and everything else has no more than he who has God only.

Living in the mystery

The world is awash in mystery. Science seeks it out. Religions dive in to explore it. And people both fear and desire interaction with things they don't understand. 

We have a lot of questions:

• Does my life have a purpose? If I didn't exist, would it matter?
• Why have people hurt me? How should I respond to them?
• How much free choice do individuals have? Does it matter if our choices harm others?
• The world became chaotic, just when I thought  was getting a grip on things. Is anyone in control?
• Nature seems to be going mad. How do I understand my place in my surroundings?
• Does it matter what path I choose or whom I worship? Does it all sort itself out in the end?
• How do I respond to (or explain things) I don't understand?

Everyone looks for meaning and comprehending these mysteries of life and more. Most people make excuses to find answers ANYWHERE except in the Bible and through belief in the Christian God. We may have various reasons to avoid the Mystery of becoming Christ-followers, including:

• We prefer to invent our gods. We don't want anyone or thing in authority over us. It's more appealing to pick and choose from religious traditions to imagine a perfect scenario of cosmic appeasement ... with our Self at the center.
• The Christian God makes demands on his adherents - to follow him, we must fall in with him and his expectations. He refuses to come alongside us as a magic genie who responds to cosmic manipulation. (i.e. "If I live well, he must bless me and do what I want/need/desire.") 
• Christians are a funny bunch. God has chosen "the weak things of the world" to show off the marvels of his universe and his generous love. We don't necessarily want to be identified as "one of those kooks."
• It's politically incorrect and intolerant to believe - never mind to say - "This is God's way. The only way to heaven." (And who even believes in a Christian heaven and hell anymore?) 
• We may have been disappointed with Christians or the Church in the past. We might have experienced an abuse of power, hypocritical believers, people who don't live up to our expectations, a church that gets off into weird sectarian doctrines, etc.

Don't look everywhere but God's offer! It's worth checking out the Bible's claims of God seeking us out, the Mysterious Creator wanting to connect with us, providing a way to know a God who is altogether holy, just, AND loving.

I'm encouraging those who are already in the faith to plunge in wholeheartedly. For those exploring their options to consider traveling the road of life, please open wide to the possibility of "GOD WITH US" in Jesus Christ. How?

• Read through the Bible. Not just once, but many times. Grab a Bible handbook and study guides along the way. There are many versions from easy to academic, authored by people who have thought deeply about the faith and can explain culture and customs that are confusing to readers. Or choose an online reader with research resources in it. Click here.
• Listen to podcasts about theology (thinking about God). One version: my husband's been a theology prof for 20 years and has a series on "Basic Christian Thought" here, including thoughts on heaven and hell, God and the angels, the Trinity as holy dance, creation, the place of humans, etc.
• Host or join a group that explores scripture. I like the range of groups here but a local church near you probably has groups as well. If they're kooky, don't give up. After all, you don't give up eating just because you hit a lousy restaurant!

The adventure of life is worth exploring to the max. The mystery of life is worth examination and interaction. Though we can't fully understand God and his ways, he invites us into relationship. That mystery is the deepest of all for me! Have fun on the journey and let me know how it goes.

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*Do not bow down before their gods or worship them or follow their practices. You must demolish them and break their sacred stones to pieces. Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span. Exodus 23:24-26 NIV

*We have heard with our ears, O God, our ancestors have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old. Psalm 44:1

*Though you have not seen Him, you love Jesus Christ, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries. 1 Peter 1:8, 9-10 (NASB) 

*And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things
in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. Ephesians 1:9-10 NIV

Moravian Prayer: Lord, it is by faith that we know and that we are called. May we follow your call as strongly as those who walked side by side with you. We hear of your works and are led to do your work as well. Amen.