Life

[Todd Erickson]

So what is Life, really? Have any of us seen life? What is death? If God says that all mankind is already dead, then we are all used to misidentifying death with life, aren't we?

So do we actually know what life is like? Have we seen it?

[Jon Bemis]

Once in a while I think I get a glimpse of Life. Today I did the funeral for a 65 year old Vietnam Vet who lived about 90 miles from here that until a short while ago was "a long way away from God." (his words) He had visited our church twice in the past few months with his sister, the first time he had been to church in about 40 years. Then about 4 weeks ago he was diagnosed with a rapidly growing lung cancer and then 3 weeks ago his sister called and said he was in a hospital in Alabama and wanted to know if I would visit him since I was the only preacher he knew. The reason he trusted me and wanted to talk to me? I reminded him of someone he went to school with that he liked! I went to visit him and we talked about life and death and Life. God used unlikely circumstances to bring Life to someone who was dying.

[Ian Gentles]

So what is Life, really? Have any of us seen life? What is death? If God says that all mankind is already dead, then we are all used to misidentifying death with life, aren't we?

So do we actually know what life is like? Have we seen it?


Mmmm have we lived?

[Doug Ward]

Mmmm have we lived?

In light of the Adam and Eve discussion elsewhere, let me give you a Genesis 2 answer. I find it interesting that Adam does not live until God infuses him with the breath of life. Knowing the interchangeable ways that breath and spirit are used in the OT, could it be that one main lesson the creation account may be trying to convey is that we do not live until we are infused with the presence of God?

[Martijn van Beveren]

So what is Life, really? Have any of us seen life? What is death? If God says that all mankind is already dead, then we are all used to misidentifying death with life, aren't we?

So do we actually know what life is like? Have we seen it?

Okay I'm in a 'sort of serious' ramble mode ;)

In general we define it in to parts. The physical and the spiritual. But your quote most likely, since we're all here, is spiritual. Still those two categories are intertwined. Yet they present both something completely different.

Physical, defined by awareness. We can see, touch, hear, smell and feel our bodies and those of others. As we grow our shape differs along the span of time, but also our awareness and perception of all this. We grow in experience of life. But sometimes it just doesn't seem to make any sense. So questions arise, how did I get here? Sometime the limitles of our control makes us feel helples since we actually have no control over many things, which is pretty funny since we want to control so many things.
Why do we do that? Is that a part of life? Is having control a part of life? or should we be more of the 'letting go'? My personal perception goes for the latter. Still it's reasonable to keep some appointments. :P

Spiritual, it is a strange thing to seperate this from the physiscal since our being is so closely connected to our physical from and state of awareness. Still it is the divine spark gifteed to us that wants to be fully alive, to do good, to love, and to be loved, somehow... And in a way 'letting go', giving up/in and leaving your worries at the cross make your sppiritual and thereby your physical journey more alive. Since it is not of you, nor your worries, at least, as far as we can manage to that. Since there is the human limitedness that each person has, physical, spiritual, mental, or whatever else sorts of state there are.
Becoming aware of your limitations and exelations may be the key to being in a state of balance. Let Gods Sprit guide you in this search. Let Jesus be your comforter and healer. And may God be your all in all of Love.

[Ryan Scott]

So we might say God is life and we only experience real life when we participate in/with God.

[Todd Erickson]

John differentiates between the psyche life and the zoe life. Do we?

[Ian Gentles]

In light of the Adam and Eve discussion elsewhere, let me give you a Genesis 2 answer. I find it interesting that Adam does not live until God infuses him with the breath of life. Knowing the interchangeable ways that breath and spirit are used in the OT, could it be that one main lesson the creation account may be trying to convey is that we do not live until we are infused with the presence of God?

A most excellent point.