When news broke out that the 33 Chilean miners who were trapped underground were found alive after 17 days, the whole nation celebrated. When there is life, there is celebration, there is activity, there is business but when life is gone, things take a completely different turn.
A man once returned from a trip to Egypt and recounted how terrified he was after seeing an Egyptian mummy. He said that a chill went up his spine when he saw the face of the mummy covered with powder-like stuff. When life is taken away, there is sadness, loss and it can even feel eerie. There is a reason why horror movies often have scenes in or around a cemetery.
Hospitals, Ambulances, Accidents and Emergency rooms, Fire Engines etc are reminders of what humans would do to save a life. What is this life?
Wikipedia says “It is still a challenge for scientists and philosophers to define life in unequivocal terms.”
Genesis 2:7 "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." God is the giver of life and He breathed that life into us.
According to Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament , “…the human spirit is not a mere individualization of the divine breath which breathed upon the material of the world, or of the universal spirit of nature; nor is his body merely a production of the earth when stimulated by the creative word of God. The earth does not bring forth his body, but God Himself puts His hand to the work and forms him; nor does the life already imparted to the world by the Spirit of God individualize itself in him, but God breathes directly into the nostrils of the one man, in the whole fullness of His personality, the breath of life, that in a manner corresponding to the personality of God he may become a living soul" (Delitzsch).
Mortal beings live and die but death is not the end because of Christmas! Jesus Christ came into the world to die for us so that we might have eternal life in Him.
John 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
As we celebrate Christmas, may we treasure this gift of life that God has given us by living our lives for His glory alone lest we become like those mummies, cold and eerie. Here are some gifts we can give back today:
“To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.”
A man once returned from a trip to Egypt and recounted how terrified he was after seeing an Egyptian mummy. He said that a chill went up his spine when he saw the face of the mummy covered with powder-like stuff. When life is taken away, there is sadness, loss and it can even feel eerie. There is a reason why horror movies often have scenes in or around a cemetery.
Hospitals, Ambulances, Accidents and Emergency rooms, Fire Engines etc are reminders of what humans would do to save a life. What is this life?
Wikipedia says “It is still a challenge for scientists and philosophers to define life in unequivocal terms.”
Genesis 2:7 "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." God is the giver of life and He breathed that life into us.
According to Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament , “…the human spirit is not a mere individualization of the divine breath which breathed upon the material of the world, or of the universal spirit of nature; nor is his body merely a production of the earth when stimulated by the creative word of God. The earth does not bring forth his body, but God Himself puts His hand to the work and forms him; nor does the life already imparted to the world by the Spirit of God individualize itself in him, but God breathes directly into the nostrils of the one man, in the whole fullness of His personality, the breath of life, that in a manner corresponding to the personality of God he may become a living soul" (Delitzsch).
Mortal beings live and die but death is not the end because of Christmas! Jesus Christ came into the world to die for us so that we might have eternal life in Him.
John 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
As we celebrate Christmas, may we treasure this gift of life that God has given us by living our lives for His glory alone lest we become like those mummies, cold and eerie. Here are some gifts we can give back today:
“To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.”
-Annonymous