“The Grace of Life”

“I am the life… Christ died” (John 14:6; I Corinthians 15:3).

I often wonder what must have happened in the being of the Lord Jesus Christ when “the Prince of life” experienced that which is a complete aberration of who and what He is (Acts 3:15).

No answer is forthcoming to such an inquiry, of course. Finite beings who must receive life cannot fathom what it is to be life. Thus, we cannot begin to comprehend the contradiction of spirit and soul that occurred when the Lord Jesus bowed His head and willingly entered into the dark realm of death for our sakes. We can attempt to imagine, based upon our own experiences that flow against the course of our interests, inclinations and preferences. This will not take us far, however, into understanding the horror of our Savior’s entrance into that which is completely foreign to His nature of vibrant life.

Mindful of this inability to comprehend, our best response involves availing ourselves of “the grace of life” which ever flows from the Lord Jesus’ sacrifice (I Peter 3:7). We live because He died. Moreover, we live because He lives in the resurrection that took place three days after His death on the cross. “Because I live, ye shall live also” (John 14:19). A Life beyond life presents itself to trusting hearts at all times as the risen Christ dwells with and within born again believers. Thus, we may not be able to understand what our Lord did for us. We can, however, avail ourselves to the holy benefit. This is our worship and expression of gratitude as we seek to live in a manner that bears witness to our blessed Prince of life, who for our sakes entered into death so that He might freely give unto us His eternal life.

“He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew not sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” (II Corinthians 5:21)

“The Power of the Tongue”

 

    I recently encountered an acquaintance that I had not seen in awhile.  “How are you?” I asked.

    The lady first frowned, and then smiled somewhat ruefully.  “I don’t guess I should complain” she responded.  “It doesn’t do any good.” 

    She was correct, of course.  What she did not know, however (until I told her, respectfully and humbly, I hope), is that complaining actually does much harm to the practitioner thereof.

    “I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed” (Psalm 77:3).

    Beginning with Adam, who filed complaint against Eve, who subsequently filed complaint against the devil, the human race has been prone to air grievance rather than express faith (Genesis 3:12-13).  In so doing, we dig a pit with our tongue, jump in, and remain there until we acknowledge our verbal sin, repent for distrusting and dishonoring God, and reinstate godly utterance as enabled by the indwelling Holy Spirit. 

     We must confront the hard truth that our capacity to speak serves as a governing influence of the course of our lives.   The Christ referred to by the Apostle John as “the Word” originally created the human race in His image, thus constituting words as central in our existence (John 1:1).    

    “Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!” (James 3:4). 

      James furthermore writes, “the tongue can no man tame” (James 3:8). This presents to us a seemingly impossible challenge, but one that must be faced and increasingly overcome if we are to consistently walk with God (James 3:8).  We must speak well in order to live well, but we possess a wayward “little member,” the tongue, that naturally controls us rather than our controlling it.

    Thankfully, the Psalmist comes to our rescue.

     “I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue” (Psalm 39:1).

     “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3).

     First, David makes the proper determination, to “sin not with my tongue.”  He determines to obey God.  Then he properly acknowledges his utter dependence on the Lord, deferring to the power of the only One who can “keep the door of my lips.”  David recognizes his holy calling to commit himself to faithful obedience, in this case, concerning his capacity to speak.  However, he also recognizes that he possesses no power in and of himself to execute such godliness.  He therefore trusts the Lord to tame the tongue ungovernable by human strength.  “Without Me ye can do nothing… I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (John 15:5; Philippians 4:13).  This is God’s way concerning all obedience, namely, that we submit ourselves to His glory and will, while concurrently “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).

    It is natural to complain; it is supernatural to praise, thank, and “speak the praise of the Lord” (Psalm 145:21).  The former offers a dark and deep pit wherein unbelief overwhelms our spirits.  The latter promises a “peace which passeth all understanding” and “joy unspeakable and full of glory” (Philippians 4:7; I Peter 1:8).  The choice is obvious for God’s trusting sons and daughters in Christ.  Let us therefore acknowledge that our tongues exist for His glory and will, while also affirming that God alone can empower us to “speak all the words of this Life” (Acts 5:20).  Such commitment of heart and consecration of faith leads to our spirits overjoyed rather than overwhelmed, and more importantly, to the glory of the living Word Himself, our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”

(Proverbs 18:21)

“The Lord’s Prayer”

     “The Lord’s Prayer” is a bit of a misnomer, as applied to the following:

    “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen” (Matthew 6:9-13).

    These words actually comprise our Lord’s “model prayer” for others, namely for those who trust and seek to walk with Him.  Our Savior could never pray such a prayer for Himself because He had no need to seek His Father’s pardon with words such as “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”  “We have not a High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

    The 17^th chapter of the Gospel of John actually contains that which could most accurately be termed “the Lord’s prayer.”  The Apostle records for us the intercession of the Lord Jesus for His disciples (and for us) offered just before He returned to Heaven by way of the cross, the resurrection and the ascension.

    “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given Me; for they are Thine…  Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word” (John 17:9; 20).

     Fewer more sublime thoughts can grace our minds than the truth that our Savior prayed for us many centuries before our conception in our mother’s womb.  One that perhaps equals such grace, however, involves the blessed truth that the Lord Jesus prays for us even now: “He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25).

    Think of it – in this moment, our Savior prays for us.  He raises wounded hands to His Father and our Father, seeking provision, protection, and perhaps most of all, our awareness of God’s loving presence and involvement whereby we more and more walk in accordance with our high calling as His trusting sons and daughters.  I know of no greater encouragement than this, the “Lord’s prayer” offered even now by One whose intercessions are always heard and answered… 

“For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.”

(Hebrews 9:24)