Greater opportunity has the life of the one born under the roof of righteous parents. The good seed planted in his heart will have the chance to germinate into good trees, bearing good fruit, and in return, a good book. One that that will reflect the goodness of God. The Bible tells us stories of useless lives, although anointed to serve Him. Think, for example, the life of Solomon, the wisest man of his time. Samson, the strongest man of his day; Absalom, the handsome son of David. King Solomon reigned for forty years, but his book is filled with defiance against God. From his many pagan wives, idolatry- the worst of Judah’s and Israel’s kings. Samson’s life had a beautiful beginning, when the angel of the Lord came to his mother who were barren, telling her that she was going to bear a son. Before she would be pregnant, she was to drink no strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, because she was to bear a son, who was to be a Nazirite to God from birth, who was going to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines (Judges 1). To be chosen to be a Nazirite for God, one was distinguished by the uncut hair and abstinence from wine. Samson was chosen by God to be Israel’s deliverer. However, Samson’s life’s book for most part, was not one with good example for us to follow, but one of embarrassment. Only in his death, did he performed that which he had been born for. He killed more Philistines in his death, than when alive. A sad story, filled with bad decisions and failure. Absalom, one of David’s sons, lived a controversial life style and had a tragic ending. His life’s story book was one not to be remembered. We marvel at the heroes and heroines of the faith, who suffered under severe persecution unto death. Each life told us a story of faithfulness and love for God. We all need to read their lives’ story to acquire deeper faith and love for our Lord. Stories the world disregarded and destroyed under persecution. As the Bibles says, The world was not worthy of them.
We owe to them for not giving up, for pursuing the faith that brought many to salvation and dedication to the message of the Gospel. Their lives’ stories are a light that illuminated into the darkness of the world, a light that showed complete love for God and faith that carried on to generation to generations through the pages of the Bible- the Word of God. The Patriarch Job’s story is also one that taught us the value of patience in the midst of sufferings. His attitude was pinned in his faith, long before the written Word of God existed. Today’s lives have much different stories to tell in the sense of life’s styles in general. The world today is shaped by technology which has shaped the way we do things and think. The story one’s life offers today is passive, without much effort in getting things done, that is, in the developed countries. Life, in the spiritual realm, should reflect our walk with God. The summary of a life’s story is usually read or told at one’s funeral, or at a memorial service. Short as it might be, it always emphasizes the good in the person, and rightly so, even if the other way around. That, however is of no future value.
The Apostle Paul’s life story is one of great faith on his pursuit to take the Gospel as far as he was to go. Nothing stopped him from performing the ultimate sacrifice for God, Whom he loved and served. Always looking forward to his heavenly reward, at the end of his life he said, I am already about to ne sacrificed; the time of my release is at hand and I will soon go free; I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the [victor’s] crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me and recompense me on that day- and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved and yearned for and welcomed His appearing (II Tim. 4:6-8). From a devoted Pharisee and a persecutor of Christians, Paul became a faithful apostle of YAHSHUA to the point of having his life sacrificed for Him. It is a life story we should consider as an example for us to follow, specially in these times of uncertainties, deceiving spirits and apostasy.
Our lives are an open book to God. Daily He reads and considers the impact we are having in the lives around us, if good or bad. The pages are turned one by one while we breathe the breath of life given us. When that is taken away, we enter into the spiritual dimension, and our earthly life’s story ends. The impact we will leave behind will affect generations to come. Think, for example Charles Darwin, an English naturalist geologist and biologist, whose theories of evolution became popular from 1859 until now. How many lives has he mislead, causing God to be denied as the Creator of all living things? Consider also Georges Lemaitre, A Belgium Catholic priest and professor of physics at the Catholic University, who believed that the world started as a single point to become what it is now, which they call it the “Big Bang.” Where was God as the Creator in their theories? It is a serious thing having to meet the Creator, for those whose lives’ books deny Him in all He created and His existence.
As Messianic believers, we have a duty to our Messiah to reflect Him in our lives through the daily pages of our life’s book we are writing. The Holy Spirit, Who inhabits the spirit of the believer through the new birth, expresses Himself through the soul- emotion, will and intellect, and our action is manifested through the body. Being controlled by Him, our life’s story will be pleasing and accepted by God. When eternity opens its door and we face our Lord, He will say, Well done faithful servant, enter the joy of your master. Rewarded with the victor’s crown, we will forever live in His presence, praising and worshipping Him. So be it!
THINK ABOUT IT!
Light from the Word 