The scripture says, two men, that “gleamed like lightning” questioned the women who arrived early in the morning at the tomb of Jesus. (Luke 24) The women had gone to pay homage to the dead and they stumbled upon a grave robbery as the men asked them, arguably, the most intriguing question of the resurrection:
“Why do you look for the living among the dead?
It was a puzzling question for the women then and it’s a vital question for us now.
Here are five ways I have looked for life in dead places. See if you identify.
1) Clinging to the past– whether it’s past hurts or past honors, the past is past. Officially, it is done, dead. Yet, I’ve often looked back hoping there still might be something I need from that time. It’s a sham. Both my glory days and my gory days are permanently in moth balls. When Lot’s wife turned back, scripture says, she became a pillar of salt. There is no life in yesterday.
The only time that is full of life is now.
“Why do you look for the living in your dead past?”
2) Buying stuff- whether it’s new shoes, a new car or anything else I can cart home I can trick myself into thinking that initial buzz I get from the purchase is bringing me life. Ok-I get a tiny high – a little race of the heart. Our brains like novelty, at least for a few minutes. But that inanimate object can’t reproduce itself – of itself it is a dead thing.
Buying is a part of our lives but it doesn’t produce life. No matter how much I’ve paid for the shoes or the car or the house or whatever the spark always dies.
“Why do you look for the living among your lifeless possessions?”
3) Ingestible substances– my drug of choice is sugar, primarily in the form of carbs. (Maybe yours is alcohol or crack.) It’s not hard for me to get sucked in by a great chocolate cake or a peanut butter anything. I’m (subconsciously) convinced it’s exactly what I need to get through the next mile.
When I’m in my right mind, I’m aware that I’m numbing my real life, which at that moment, might involve some kind pain. Pain is a sign of life. It notifies us that what we actually need is nurture, care, understanding, and compassion.
” Why do you look for the living in life-sucking substitutes?”
4) Distraction- entertainment, social media, television, and sports are a huge part of modern culture. (Go Cowboys!) Whenever my life feels boring or stagnate, I can tune into someone else’s’. Certainly, there are elements of life in sports and media, especially if they’re consumed with people I’m actually “doing life with.”
But these days I’m watching for the ways I distract myself from my real life by leeching off someone else’s. Focusing on another’s life in hopes of experiencing our own brings meaninglessness.
“Why do you look for life among deadening diversions?”
5) Temptation-The evil one’s only scheme is to so camouflage death that we’re convinced it is life. He makes it taste like, smell like, and, for a brief time, it even feels amazingly life-giving. But it’s smoke and mirrors. Beautiful, scheming, near perfect lies that -in the end -bite like no hell you can imagine.
How can you tell the difference? Death doesn’t shout, it whispers. And it says things like, “Just this once.” “No one has to know.” “No one will get hurt.” “You won’t get burned.” “You owe it to yourself. “You deserve…” “Why not?” “You know you’re strong enough to…” “Well, maybe just a little.” Some hiding, or compromise or secret will always be involved. At first, it will look and feel good- like life. But, it’s a total hoax. And, regrettably, sometimes we have to experience the sting of death for ourselves before we can know we’ve been had.
” Why do you look for your life in the counterfeit?”
During this season of remembering and celebrating the resurrection life of Jesus, one way to honor him might be to take stock of this thing you call “your life.” Where might you be seeking truth in false places or light in the darkness?
Can you allow God’s Spirit to compassionately show you what’s not really working for you, what’s not helpful, not healthy, not truly life-giving to you and the ones you love and serve?
“In (Jesus) was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
John 1
“I set before you life and prosperity, death and destruction…
now choose life,
so that you and your children may live
and that you may love the Lord your God,
listen to his voice and hold fast to him.
For the Lord is your life…”
Deuteronomy 30
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