The Good Life.
Originally Published: 9-18-08
In this life, there is nothing greater or of more value than loving and serving Christ. To know Him and be known by Him… that’s the good life. The fact is, for those whom Christ has saved, we were not saved for us. We were saved to serve because now we do not own the rights to our lives. The rights to our lives were purchased on the cross, so we serve out of love, gratitude, and humility. “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.” – Rom 6:20-23. We do not serve some over bearing dictator who cares nothing about us and is using us to force his own propaganda. Ours is a loving, gracious, caring King that allows us to be a part of His eternal plan and will.
The great thing that I have discovered is that not only have we been saved to serve, but God left us here on Earth. The same Earth He created for us to enjoy. Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes that to waste our lives seeking fulfillment in sinful acts and cravings is vanity or foolishness. They are cravings that can never be filled (believe me, Solomon tried). On the flip side of the coin he also says that to seek righteousness through religious rules and laws is also vanity or foolishness. You can always be just a little bit better. The rain falls on the just and the unjust and the same end awaits them both… death. His conclusion was to find fulfillment in this loving, great, caring God, whom we now know as Jesus Christ, and to be content with and enjoy the life you have (family, friends, church, etc.). Because no matter how bad things may seem, you can still go outside in the fresh air and feel the nice, cool breeze on a sunny fall day. You can still enjoy great music. You can still enjoy a good cup of coffee, as long as you avoid gas station coffee that is. And so much more.
We really do have a ton to be thankful for even if things are far from what we would consider perfect right now!