Why does that happen? That can be so frustrating as a child of God, sometimes. Imagine walking up to your Dad urgently, asking him to give you purpose and meaning. It's funny, because I just want it to happen! But when I see my Dad giving me meaning, it isn't instant. He's gets up, looks me in the eye and tells me something I've forgotten. Which means I've got to be listening.
But some days it's so hard to listen...
So I think he's finally gotten to me today by reminding me of his heart. The truth, which is the gospel. The gospel is the good news about Jesus, this guy who lived on earth 2000 years ago. How does that change my life? Oh my friend let me tell you.
Let me tell you the gospel of Jesus Christ. (It's a pretty big deal.)
So think about it: everybody seems to live their lives without much attention to God. In fact, there are some people who believe God exists, but he just remains in the background and doesn't really interact with us. But that's not true. There's something significant that seperates all of us from him, and that's the wrong, evil things that we've done, called sin. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Everyone is utterly incapable of comparing to God's amazingness, and we need his salvation.
Why? Why do I need God's salvation? Because this sin isn't just things we've done: it has a "reward." Sin leads us to death. By living in sin, we're disconnected from God, and instead become destined to die. "For the wages of sin is death." But God doesn't want you to die: he loves you and wants to live with you forever. "The gift that God gives is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
How does this gift work? Well God provides this through his son he sent to earth, Jesus. Jesus lived a perfect life, but that's not the reason he came to earth. Even though he was perfect, he was killed, nailed and hung on a cross for us because he loved us. By dying for us, he tok the death we deserved upon himself, so we no longer have to receive it anymore. "God demonstrates his own love for us in this - while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Sounds great! But how do I recieve this salvation? It's simple: all you have to do is believe in him, because he's already finished the job. If we trust in God, then he accepts us into his family, to become a child of God and to recieve the Holy Spirit in our heart. "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
And that's the beautiful thing: Jesus didn't stay dead! He's alive, raised from the dead, sitting on his throne and moving in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. We can live in relationship with God, offering ourselves to him and being gradually transformed by him. "Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
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This is the meaning of life. So beautiful. But man, I wish I knew it all the time... I wish I woke up knowing this everyday. But I don't: I have to remind myself. And maybe this blog can be one way I do that.
So will you be seeing more posts soon? Maybe. But I'm not blogging for attention. All I want to do is write out my ideas presentably, so I can know them and return to them when I need them. As a wise man once said, "never doubt in the dark what you know to be true in the light." This is my reminder.
~Sam
(Quotes from Paul's letter to the Romans)
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