Permanency to us does not have the same meaning to God who created all things. After all, if you believe the Bible’s version of creation and its fall, it was man who brought the curse of death upon himself, not God. On the contrary, God created within the secure borders of the Garden of Eden a tree that’s sole purpose was to give life to all who would eat of it. Unfortunately for all of us that choice was not the one made and from the moment of that choice until now we are under the terrible consequence of that decision. But death is not always death, and final is not always the conclusion of all things.
There is something profound that belongs to the Author and Creator of all things. It is called resurrection; life from the dead, a strange and surreal occurrence where something that once existed and now is without breath is brought back fully to life; maybe even better than it was before it died. It is what most would consider the ultimate unbelievable miracle, but to others who understand the love, power and sovereignty of God: just one of the many amazing things He does!
I say all that to hopefully convey something that will speak to you as it just did to me. Death doesn’t just mean the end of a life, it is something that speaks to a lot of things, in this case I’m talking about the feeling of purpose and usefulness. The idea that I have no more life or meaning in regards to the purposes for which I was created is to be dead; though I may be alive I have no hope of ever being used by God or valuable to His purposes in this world. I know many can relate to what I’m saying. You feel you have failed one too many times or you struggle with the idea that God even hears you anymore. Maybe all the things you have dreamed of or hoped for have all crashed and burned. Maybe you have sinned, maybe way too many times in your mind and feel it impossible to ever be forgiven or the condemnation you or others have places upon yourself has paralyzed you and you no longer feel like you can go on. Whatever it may be, all amounts to the same thing, dead! But I want to remind you that as long as you are still breathing, there is hope and forgiveness. God is the Author of LIFE.
There is something that has been said at funerals forever, that being “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away”. Not necessarily the most encouraging thing to hear in a state of grief, right? But I believe God wants you to know something right now... He is the One who resurrects that which was dead back to life. He says to us all that though you “were dead in your transgressions and sins… God, being outrageously rich in mercy, and because of His great love with which He loves you, even though you were dead, He has and will continue to, resurrect you; not only back to life, but eternal life as well and placed upon you the highest esteem one could have bestowed upon them… SONSHIP with His Son!” He says in the very same breath, “not because of your works or your own doing, so that you will never be able to boast and say look at what I did.”
When God was going to reveal His choice as to who would be High Priest out of all the families of Israel He had one from each tribe who thought they should be priest bring a rod with their name on it and lay it before the alter of God. He showed His choice by causing Aaron's dead rod from an almond tree to not only produce flowers, but almonds as well.
At times in my thirty plus years of being a believer and follower of God I have become by my own hand a dry branch, brittle and without life. But each time I have humbled myself and cried out for mercy and forgiveness He has caused my dried up and seemingly useless branch to not only come back to life, but produce fruit. No matter how anyone judges you, no matter how useless and worthless you may feel; no matter how great your sin, the love and mercy of God will never, and I mean EVER, turn its back on you.
Death has its permanency, but in the hands of God who is abounding in mercy and lovingkindness, taking great pleasure in those who will humble themselves before Him, resurrection is a constant reality. As long as we have breath in our lungs and hearts that are willing to acknowledge our desperate need for forgiveness from Him, and we lay ourselves before Him like Aaron laid his dead branch before the Mercy Seat of God; though we appear to be dead, dried up and no longer of any use, God will cause us to not only live, but bear fruit once again.
© 2014 Steven Bliss
