I See Dead People...

"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath."
Ephesians 2:1-3

A friend was sharing with me a story the other day about this big tree they had on their property. One day, out of the blue, this big old tree snapped at the trunk, tipped over and landed on two of their cars - I was even graced with a picture to see the damage. This big old tree had been a fixture on that piece of land long before my friend ever pulled up residence there. Why did this tree fall over you might ask? Despite the fact, from all outward appearances, that the tree was healthy, alive and vibrant - it was dead and rotting on the inside. After the tree snapped in two, you could see the death and rot that was previously unseen. Kind of makes you wonder about other big trees you see as you pass them by - is there death behind that bark that is beyond our vision?

Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, gives us a similarly sobering reality about the nature of humanity - though we are born, and live and breathe and move - we are in fact spiritually dead. Outward appearances indicate life, health and vitality: We love, we laugh, we play, we work, we cry, we dance. All of humanity move through this life with the appearance of strength and vitality, while all the time rotting away in death on the inside.

He tells us that the cause of this inner death of spirit is our transgressions and sins. This condition of spiritual death is one that all humans are born into through no choice of their own. Much as a Fetal Alcohol Syndrome child had no choice in being born with a debilitating addiction to alcohol (the choice was made for them by their parents) - we were all born with a debilitating addiction to sin (a choice made for us by our first parents Adam and Eve). As a result, our natural tendency is to sin and fulfill the lusts of our flesh, not obey God in our spirits. In fact, if we are spiritually dead, we are totally unable to live in good relationship with God as we were initially created to be. The human condition is tragic in that we all have the outward appearance of life and vitality, but in reality we are dead people walking.

In our dead condition, we can do nothing to resuscitate ourselves any more than a corpse could choose to pop out of a coffin on its own.

Thanks be to God, in Christ Jesus, that He has made us alive! He has conquered sin and death. His resurrection has enabled our resurrection.

As one made alive in Christ, as I walk the streets - I see dead people - people who are spiritually dead and unaware of it and I am filled with compassion. I keep my eyes on the trees and wonder, not in judgment, but in love and hope.

Oh LORD, may you continue to bring life to those we know and love through your Son Jesus, and Father, may you even use a recovering sinner like myself to help bring others this life. AMEN

Be God's, Scott