Live!

Live.  To be living, alive, not dead.  Live.  To dwell in a particular place or space.  Live.  To practice life in a such a way as to say this is How I Live.

While I could continue to define this beautiful English Word from verb to adverb and adjective in between that is not what this is about.

Recently a patriarch of our church Family died.  His grave remains covered with fresh flowers even still so this is a now moment for me.  He lived. He died.  What have I taken away?  Well one thing is for sure - dead men cannot praise God.  Isaiah the prophet said  this and David the Psalmist sang it.  In the grave there is no clinging to the hope of Christ.  What is to be will be at that moment and all chances will have ceased.  In the depths of the grave whatever decision was made in the living will finally be proven to be true or false.  It is the hour of reckoning that we cannot escape - one and all.

As I watched, listened and cried at this funeral I made a decision.  I declared that I will Live and not Die.  I will live to declare the good works of God. This man wore his title of Christian with honor.  Everyone - his beloved wife, the sons and daughter, the grandchildren he loved, the workers the friends the new acquaintances and all who spoke of him were unanimous in this - He lived out his faith. 

David said that he would praise God all of his days until his dying breath.  Well, Dad Binda did that.  His last known words whispered were "I love you Jesus".


Oh the journey of his life was in no way smooth.  He had as much trials as anyone else. Yet in all of this he grew where he was planted. He Lived!  He lived a life that showed him to be salt and light.

Hey beloved, isn't it time you and I began to LIVE?  Let's not be as dead men walking.  Let us not be unflavored or dark in our witness that Jesus is Lord.  Let us begin to walk out a life that is purposeful and reflective of our one and only title that matters - Child of God aka Christian!