Life

I Jn.1:1-2 - That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; For the life was manifested and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us.

Life. What is life? Does a rock have life? It was created by the Life Giver and it exists, but does it have life? In the scientific arena "life forms" act in a variety of ways. Some breathe, eat, swim, fly, hear, see, and thousands of other varied behaviors. What then ties all plants, bears, birds, bacteria, fish, microbes, man, and all other life forms together? They all reproduce, rocks do not.
But there is something different about man. A man has a consciousness about a purpose, a God, and an afterlife. A polar bears never stops, looks around, and wonders "Who am I?". "Where will I go when I die?" "Is there a God?" But all those questions haunt man because we were created in God's Spiritual image, and we are a Spirit inside a body who was separated from God through Adam. Not only is there a faint but residual knowledge of God, God Himself draws us, unlike all other life, and we are lost until regeneration.
But when John refers to the Word of Life and eternal life he isn't speaking just of the type of life that separates us from animals. He is speaking of the life that comes directly from God only through Jesus Christ - The Word. And this eternal life IS Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life..." John said, "He who hath the Son hath life". Paul proclaims, "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear...". The Scriptures give us a limited view of what we will be in heaven. I Jn.3:2 - Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him...". So life is in Christ and real life can only be found in Him. Oh Blessed Jesus, we never knew life until we met You. I thought life was having fun, partying as the world puts it. Drugs, immorality, drinking, and all the things of death that masquerade as life were my life...and then He revealed Himself to me. My mother was choir director, I went to VBS, and I was confirmed. But I never knew life because I had never known Him. I hope you never get so sophisticated and theologically proper that you can never rejoice in just knowing Him. Take some time out from chasing the emergents and all the ecclesiastical three ring circus and simply, but oh so deeply, worship Him for Who He is and that He has granted His life to you and me. To say I did not deserve it is to take more credit than I deserve. I have life, real life, eternal life, and this life is in my Lord and Savior...Halleluiah!!
So right now, like a hot air balloon moored to the earth, untie your mind for a while and soar into the realm of the eternal! All the books written about Jesus; all the discussions about Jesus; all the sermons about Jesus; all these things put together cannot even touch the hem of His garment about who He really is. Jesus promises a "new heaven and a new earth", but the one everlasting constant is Him. "So shall we ever be with the Lord" and "To be with Christ, which is far better".
Careful now, don't let the Spiritual air out of your balloon. Why do we worry about anything when we have eternal life? Why do we accumulate the things of this world when we have eternal life? Why are we entertained by this world when we have eternal life? Every morning we should pause and reflect on the distinct possibility that we may see Jesus, the Risen Christ, today. Not an exaggeration, not hyperbole. That one day sails on the ocean of time, coming ever closer to your harbor, and the Captain of your salvation will come for you. Are you still soaring? Once in a while let your balloon descend to this earth just long enough to invite someone in with you and then return to the life giving heavens where our Master lives. This world seeks to pop your balloon, and many of God's children are content to sit in their balloon, tied to the earth. God wants to breathe His Spirit into your balloon again and lift you off of this carnal world. Are you a little frightened? Are you scared of heights? What if you crash? Good, good, good! Jesus wants you to completely trust Him and not yourself. Real faith can seem dangerous! Aren't you tired of the "same old"? If something doesn't change, we will be in the same place next year at this time.
Remember, no one wants to climb into a balloon that is just like theirs - tied to this world. Everyone is really looking for a balloon that can FLY! In the coming year why don't you and I cut the ropes, shout for joy, and begin a fresh journey that will not only change our Spiritual altitude, but will glorify our Blessed Hope who remains high and lifted up. On eagles wings let us rise to meet the One for whom we long. As the song says, "There's more to this life than just livin' and dyin'!". I believe with all my heart that Jesus, in the powerful voice of the Holy Spirit, is calling His Bride to "Come up, hither!". The pitiful and lost world needs to see -

FLYERS - NOT BUYERS!!! SEE YOU IN THE CLOUDS IN 2006!!

I Jn.5:20 - And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. THIS IS THE TRUE GOD, AND ETERNAL LIFE!