He Who Raised Christ

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.

(Romans 8:11)

Meditation

I spent most of my adult life feeling somewhat dead inside. I was just going through the motions of living, with moments of happiness punctuated by deep emptiness. The only delight in my life was centered around my family, and to a lesser degree, my work. I didn’t know how to be happy or to fill the void in my heart. I didn’t understand it at the time, but the devil wanted me to believe others were responsible for my happiness. I went to great lengths to avoid making someone happy who wasn’t doing the same for me. It was a vicious cycle consuming my attempts to find the elusive idea of contentment.

When I tell you I was dead before, but now I’m alive, that is exactly how it feels. I was literally a dead man walking. My whole life was falling down around my ears, mostly due to my own failings. I was a drowning man, barely able to keep my nose above water. I felt like there was no end to my suffering, and I don’t think I would have minded if I got ran over by a truck. I wasn’t suicidal, but I just didn’t care one way or another. I wanted the pain to end, but I had no idea how to accomplish that. It often fell to lots of alcohol to numb the pain I was feeling. However, the hangover the next morning only added to the pain I was feeling.

Then, out of nowhere, when I was the farthest away from anything approaching serenity, I gave control of my life to Jesus. The Holy Spirit took up residence in my grateful heart after I was baptized. Some people may not understand or believe how a wretch like me could be changed so quickly and completely. I was completely blind to my sins before, but now I can see. God didn’t just forgive my sins. He gave me a whole new heart. I no longer think about how someone can make me happy, but how I can help someone else be happy. From that, I derive the most contentment I have ever felt. When you are baptized with the Holy Spirit, you too will be a new person. The old one is dead and the new one lives. I don’t know what fruit will grow from your heart, but I do know it will come from a better you than is imaginable for you before you’re saved. The Spirit who brought Christ from the grave, will bring you to a new life too.

Daily Prayer

Heavenly Father what can we possibly do to be like you? You are holy beyond our feeble attempts. Our only hope is to put on your Son, Jesus, like a warm sweater on a cold Spring morning. He is our only hope for anything beyond the grave. Just as you brought him up out of that borrowed tomb, you will raise us from our graves on that great and wonderful Day of the Lord. However, we must already be saved from our sins before we go into the grave. It’s too late if we die without knowing Jesus as our savior. We must repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of our sins, and have your Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts, to be raised. Father, thank you for this master plan for our salvation. We pray for everyone who does not know you the way we do. Please, show your Spirit through us to all who haven’t yet turned their lives over to you. Give us the boldness and love of Jesus to share this good news of eternity in heaven. In his precious and holy name, we pray. Amen!