Most Loving God, when I contemplate life, I am overwhelmed with wonder. You gave me a life; I live it day by day; and, I search to find its meaning and purpose. For every life is important and meant to fulfill the mission You had in mind when it was created. The pattern of my life is not very different from Yours here to earth. You were born, lived your life one day at a time, responded to Your calling and fulfilled the mission to which You were sent. Your sacrifice has given me the chance to partake in eternal life and share my future with You in eternity. Living and dying are no longer mundane and terrifying to me. My life is exciting because I never know what new thing You will bring into it nor in what way You will enrich and bless it. The life without Your covering and love is something I no longer fear. Dying is the down side of living without You and living is the upside of placing my future in Your hands.
In giving my life to You, I now realize that living entails dying … dying to my human instincts and living in accordance to Your will and Your ways. To those who do not trust in You, they strive for wealth, popularity, power, pleasures and prestige. If I am to live for You, I must develop Your values, share the Good News of Your coming and serve my fellow man and You. In death, I am removed from worldly attachments and troubles, but I’m given the gift of spending eternity with You. In living for You, I’ve been set free from the power of the enticements of the world and sin in order to allow me to succeed in overcoming trials and temptations. If I chose to die to self, I am actually making a choice to give You more room in my life. In my birth, You chose me … I did not chose You. This means You are sovereign and in control, yet our relationship is close and personal.
If you allow my very breath to be taken away, who am I to argue and dispute Your decision? For my calling is to give You my devotion, obey Your commands and follow wherever You may lead me. Having been set free from the fear of death has allowed me to pursue life with vigor rather than dread. By reaching out Your hand to touch my heart, You’ve given me hope with a promise. On my heart You’ve written a love letter expressing Your fondness for me and a promise of a life-long commitment to care for me and meet all of my needs. The removal of fear’s hold on me has been replaced by the warmth of Your light and love. Before You came into my life, I was alive but dead … now, I’ve died to self and find myself alive unto You. If I choose to I live, I live to serve You and, if I choose to die, I die to living for myself. So whether I live or die, I live for You. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
Phil 1:21-22 For to me, to live is Christ and, to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me.