Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  
John 15:13 

 

Jesus not only taught this truth, He modeled it. We may contribute to causes we believe in. We may donate our time or share our talents, but giving one’s life is the ultimate sacrifice.  

July, the month we celebrate the birthday of America, may be a good month to consider life and what it means to us as citizens on earth, and certainly as citizens of heaven. Americans may be unable to quote the Declaration of Independence in its entirety, but if any portion is committed to memory, it’s most likely this: 

We hold these truths to be self-evident, 
that all men are created equal, 
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, 
that among these are  
Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

What does it mean to have a right to life as a citizen of America? How do we exercise that right? Does that right ever interfere with the right to life of another person?

Perhaps those questions have never been more sobering or significant than during a global pandemic and unprecedented political upheaval. As a citizen, I have never been more grateful for healthcare professionals, emergency personnel, law enforcement, and members of the military than I am today. Each day, many of these men and women are demonstrating a willingness to do their jobs — and lay down their lives, if need be — so we can live ours in relative peace and safety.  

According to the research site Macrotrends, the average life expectancy for a person in the United States in 2020 is 78.93 years. Some live longer, some less. But when stacked up against eternity, even the 119 years of supercentenarian Sarah DeRemer Knauss of Hollywood, Pennsylvania (the longest-lived person in the United States) seem insignificant.  

How can we measure a lifetime on earth to eternity in heaven? One grain of sand on a seashore? One drop of water in the Pacific Ocean? One tree in the vast Amazon rain forest? We may find it difficult to isolate and remember one day in our finite lifetime … so how can our minds even begin to fathom infinity? 

But what we choose to do — actually, who we choose to trust — in this life is what determines how we spend the next one in eternity. This month, as we read, write, think, and pray over 31 verses that all include the word life, I pray we are challenged to think of this life we have as not only a right, but a great gift. God Himself orchestrated where and when we would be born, the family we are part of, the place we would live, and the individuals with whom we interact and build relationships.  

Jesus, the holy perfect son of God, gave His life willingly and sacrificially to make our eternal life a reality. Has that truth become trite or stale? Has familiarity made it less precious?

I’m asking God to give us all a fresh gratefulness for this life and a renewed urgency to live it well. The clock is ticking on today … how are you spending the gift of these hours?  

You and I may never be asked to lay down our lives for a friend or to die for our faith, but every single day, most of us are likely to have an opportunity to die to ourselves. Anyone can stand up and demand their rights, but only the strongest will lay down their own in love for others.

How might God be calling you and me to give up our rights — or die to ourselves — during these challenging days?  

 

Download this month’s Write The Word: LIFE bookmarks & S.O.A.P. study pages:

Write The Word: LIFE – Standard Bookmark

Write The Word: LIFE – Large Print Bookmark

Write The Word: LIFE – S.O.A.P. Bible Study Pages

Are you unfamiliar with the S.O.A.P. Bible study method? Learn more about it here.

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