Alive

Friday, January 13, 2023

In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit.  During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive.  And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.  Acts 1:1-3

In a world full of superstition and baser people who were strong enough, and always willing to take advantage of the naïve, Jesus took care to assure the disciples that he was actually alive.  They were not very accustomed to formerly-dead persons walking, talking, and “being” with them.  In this context, with their fears and amazement sidelined, Jesus then talked to them about the coming Kingdom of God.  Their understanding of the Kingdom had been clouded by the typical, traditional thought pattern, which pointed to an earthly, political kingdom.  Frankly, Roman oppression had fueled a desire to see the blood of Ceasar’s soldiers gushing throught the streets of Jerusalem.  But Jesus pointed to a higher Kingdom, a Temple not made with hands, but overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, descending from the heavens, an eternal gift from the Father of Lights, where God, Himself would dwell with His people, and wipe away every tear.[1]

Sometimes it takes a moment for new thoughts to emerge from the shadows of dusty, dark places, where your mind has been wasting-away.  For the slower among us (like me) it may take weeks, months, or decades for light to dawn.

After serving in the military, I entered the business world at the ripe old age of 21.  In sales, and subsequently management, the visions of sugarplum-success danced in my head.  I totally bought-into the idea of hard work and nose-to-the-grindstone attention to building a little kingdom…for Russell and family.  About twelve years into this plan, it was going well for the net-worth bottom line, but relationships were suffering, along with internal growing awareness that I was chasing a rainbow that might destroy everything in me that God intended for my good, both now, and for eternity.   Then, like the apostle Paul, I met Jesus.  

Unlike Paul, I didn’t go blind, nor was it a blinding light, or an audible voice…it was more a growing understanding of how much of a god I had made of my wealth-quest, and how little value there was in building a soft financial nest in which to land.  The realization dawned on me that everything (without exception) shrivels and fades if it’s entirely constructed of human means and desires.  Only God, and what He ordains lasts.  And God ordained that our souls would last…for eternity. 

I was chasing the wrong “brass ring” of wealth, while God was trying to show me the beauty of His presence, and the gifts he was just eagerly waiting to bestow on my inner being.  He wanted to bless me with the knowledge of what its like to be REALLY ALIVE!

For You Today  

While a preacher can talk to you about these things (and we do love to do that…you give me a chance to have that discussion and you’ll make my day!); but no human being can lead you into that reality.  Like choosing favorite colors, flavors, or anything else that will be the endearing pattern and trademark of your life, it must be YOUR choosing.  So, the last words for all of this:  Choose ALIVE!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO (read by author)

There are about 2,000 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  To dig deeper on today’s topic, explore some of these: 

The Kingdom of God  and  The Interview

Images:  Title Pixabay.com   Images without citation are either personal property of the author, or in public domain.

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©  

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[1] Read Revelation 21 – read slowly and savor each image of God’s loving presence Also See James 1:17