The Bond. Alive Series, Part 5

The Good News message is not about doctrine or principles for successful living. It's true that these things can be quite informative, but the Good News message is that Jesus came to give life, HIS life!

From the beginning on, Jesus openly declared: "Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life." (Matthew 16:21, NIV)

This was His mission, one that was quite painful, one that He would never deviate from. He came, after all, to bring us life! Never has anyone seen such a determination driven by love.

How many in this world wander around feeling completely empty inside? We all used to feel that way. We tried to fill the void with different obsessions: work, friends, parties, drugs, TV, books, music, but none of these had any permanent effect. They were band-aids that helped somewhat with our feelings of emptiness. However, the emptiness still remained!

How many out there hunger for forgiveness? Their past haunts them, and they can't find satisfaction.

All of these were addressed on that day when Jesus willingly died for us on a rough wooden cross with his eyes fixed on us, for He truly loves us. Who else could declare boldly about his enemies who tortured him so viciously: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34, NIV) That's love, real love!

Jesus made it possible for us to fill our emptiness, to feel forgiveness like never before. His love fills us to the brim, unless . . . We wander away from Him.

This is why Jesus is called "The Bread of Life." Nothing else will satisfy us, no matter how hard we try!

What do we have to do to experience this Life that Jesus is offering us?

Absolutely nothing other than accepting His gift. If we offer food to a homeless person, and that person turns his nose up at us, that person will continue to starve. It doesn't make sense, but many do turn their back to the One who can fill them up, and they go on starving for real spiritual food. Physical life with an empty spirit will never satisfy us!

We who have accepted Jesus' offer have that Life, and our emptiness has evaporated to nothingness. He lives in us and through us: "The Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." (John 14:17, NIV) No wonder we are filled to the brim! We have divine guidance living within us! All we need to do is relax in His reality. When we do so, people will see the life within us and they will be drawn to us.

Imagine a baby being formed in its mother's womb. How beautiful! How amazing! When my first son was born, and I was holding him in my arms, I couldn't help but be amazed by this very wonder. It's incomprehensible, but still very real.

The baby inside his mother's womb never has to worry about anything. He never has to do anything to have his mother's life constantly flowing through him. He is completely relaxed, resting in his mother's presence where he miraculously grows and grows. The baby doesn't have to do anything to get this: It is already his for the taking. He possess his mother's very life. It is active inside him.

Apart from his mother, however, he has no life. Joined to her, he has life. Resting in her, without any concerns, he receives that life, which is the most natural thing in the world.

Faith is not about what we can do, but about resting in the arms of the One who is called "The Bread of Life."

A few months ago we all heard about a pregnant mother in Canada who collapsed from a cerebral hemorrhage and was immediately declared brain dead. The poor woman was twenty-two weeks pregnant. What would happen to her baby?

The doctors tried to keep her alive, hoping to give the baby a better chance of survival. They kept her on life support for six weeks, and then her baby boy was born. He didn't weigh much, for he was premature. This is what his mom would have wanted. She would have been willing to die so that he should live, and live he would.

It's with tears in his eyes that her husband had to say goodbye to his seven month bride. However the birth of his son gave him hope, and he rejoices of this last turn of events.

Real life is at our reach, will we accept it?

Rob Chaffart

The Bond. Alive Series, Part 5

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