We live close to death but are still alive. —2 Corinthians 6:9b
There are too many things in my world. And things move way too fast in my world. By no means is this a complaint, but here’s an example of my life’s schedule. The nugget of wisdom someone shared earlier this evening at a church meeting should be on a tee-shirt. It was not just good, it was golden.
At this hour though, I can’t think of who said it, let alone what was said.
Paul has a lot of great insights that would/should be on tee shirts. Thankfully, his wisdom is recorded throughout most of the New Testament. Here, of course, is one of them. In a very similar rhetoric Jesus employs insightfully and impactfully in that the use of opposite words hold great weight and worth, Paul says, “We live close to death but are still alive.”
Like with many things Jesus says, this one takes a moment of thought. “We live close to death but are still alive.”
I can’t ask Paul what he means here exactly, at least not yet anyway. I’m left to wonder out loud with you.
Living close to death makes me think of our death to self so that Christ can live in us. Living close to death could also mean Paul’s perpetual study of Jesus’ earthly death on a cross and what this all means each day we live. Finally, I think of the strong arm of a mission church, where the necessary and welcome death of so many things like addictions, hate crimes, and destructive talk do die so that great new life can come.
Let new life come. Let’s not just welcome this opportunity, let’s keep trusting that through Jesus this new life will keep coming so that those in sorrow today may celebrate a victory tomorrow.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, please continue to bring us such good, abundant and liberating life, just as Paul wants for those who hear him speak of You. Amen.