The struggle we have involves the tension we find ourselves living as Christians. First of all we have come to understand we are living to die. There is the reality of death. It is a fact and there is no need to deny it; to be afraid of it; to rebel against it. We are born and we know that some day we will die. A great deal of our life is given over to what we do with that fact.
The other side of the tension involves what it means to understand what it means to live until we die. I think the Christian faith enables us to face our finitude with dignity and courage in the knowledge that we are dying but there is more to this than the fact of it; there is the faith of it. We are dying but we are dying to live.
There is a vitality to our living that enables us to savor the moments we have on earth and to have ultimate concern about others who share this time and place with us.
I thought Leslie Weatherhead put it well when he wrote, "The cross looked like defeat to the disciples. It felt like defeat to Jesus. It was called defeat by the world. But God made it...God's greatest victory."
Dying to live we are able to face our dying and our living with a sense of triumph. We know something about both living and dying. We know how it produces a mission while we are alive to make a difference and to be able to understand that the temporary nature of our life gives a richness to the time we have. We savor the days we have but we do not lament the time of our passing. That is the tension we live.
What do you think about this? How do you think we live the tension between living to die, and dying to live?
What gives your life vitality?
If you have thoughts you are willing for others to read click on the box below. Otherwise, cmail me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
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