CARE FOR OUR OWN BEING
“He gives Life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist” (Romans 4:17).
As I shared with you in the year end letter, I have sensed that the flow of Lifechangers for 2023 is to follow the theme of Life. My strange sounding title is designed to present Life (Greek word Zoe, life of the spirit), as the source of our human “being” and existence. “In Him, we live [Zoe], move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). We must learn to nurture and care for the Life with which we were inseminated through the new birth.
We are human beings, not human doings. We need the Life of the Lord Jesus to participate in the role, He as Creator, intended us to function.
Without becoming overly philosophical or religious, I would suggest that “being” implies three important elements:
- Being is present in time and place. We cannot live in the past or future.
- Being is animated and animating.
- Being contains the very essence of who we are.
We have been created to desire, recognize, and pursue eternal Life. Peter said to Jesus, “To whom can we go? You have the words [rhema] of eternal life [Zoe] (John 6:68). The disciples had been thriving on the life emanating from the person of Jesus. They did not want to continue with less.
The entire biblical narrative describes how Father God purposed to impart His own uncreated Life. Agape and Zoe are eternal. They are expressions of the DNA of the Living God-Life that Father has determined to make available to His entire human family. His Son’s incarnation is His chosen instrument of carrying Life to those who are waiting!
Father has Life in Himself, and He gave His Son to have Life in Himself. Our own beings are discipled, transformed, and commissioned to function as Life givers. Life (Zoe) will flow out of our inner being to others! (John 7:38 with 4:23).
It is shocking to understand that Father does not send another. He anticipates the joy of coming in the one He sends! Jesus said, “the Father sent me,” over forty times. He told His disciples, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” God’s sending is a way for Him to come with Life to those we engage.
It goes like this: If you receive the person who has been sent, you are essentially receiving the sender. Jesus said that those who received Him received the One who sent Him. Father gives us the privilege of revealing His uncreated Life and love to those whom He seeks. It really is a family affair!
I lived twelve years as a miserable backslider. On leave from the Navy, I had a dramatic encounter with the Lord. I returned to the ship exuding Life. In ten months, I imparted the uncreated Life of God to 29 of my shipmates! It was the person of Jesus Christ, Agape Incarnate, being received. It was joyous and essentially effortless.
When Life is free to manifest itself, it creates hunger, questions, and awakens desire. Others seek and embrace the uncreated Life of God.
What suppresses or injures that Life in you and me? What can we do to keep our own “beings” free to experience and impart that Life? We need to preserve the freedom (Gal. 5:1) that enables Life to flow out of our inner self. Here are some injurious attitudes and actions that prevent us from imparting and influencing other:
- A self-absorbed point of reference quenches the joy of Life.
- Being a “salesperson” or “crusader” rather than a witness stifles impartation.
- Overly religious “Bible talk” misrepresents the freedom of Life.
- Prejudice (social, race, religion, dress) corrupts everything.
- Excessive emphasis on morals, lifestyles, or beliefs prevents us from being sent.
It is our desire at Lifechangers to continue to impart Life to each of you throughout 2023. May we exude Life by abiding in Life.
Abiding in Life,
Bob Mumford