What is life without LIFE?

What is life without LIFE?

When we think of what is the meaning of Life, we always consider so many things. Some will say that having good fortune, good job, good health, beautiful house, nice car and a happy family is somehow gives the definitions of what life really meant. We also often say to ourselves as what we have learned from our parents that to achieve a better life in this world, we had to study & worked hard in order to fulfill our dreams and gives us satisfaction in everything we need.

But have we asked ourselves why I am here? Is there any purpose of my life? Is there any God or creator who put me here for a reason? Of course, some people can actually find the meaning of life without believing in a Creator through setting them goals-wealth, fame, helping others and decide to devote their lives by achieving them. If we are like this people, then in some sense our lives seem to become about achieving wealth, or fame, or whatever, to take on that meaning. It seems possible to impose meaning on life through our own decisions and desires.

Indeed, if we will ask the question “what is the true meaning of life?” will just meant on “what is really our goals that we should set to ourselves?”
Now you can ask me, “eh, Kuya Jemar, di ba yun nga kahulugan ng buhay na maging happy tayo at makamtan mga bagay na gusto natin dahil gusto yun ni Lord.” Yes, if you believed that there is someone who created you for a purpose – my answer is a big YES. Everything what God says in His word is true. He wants us to prosper (Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”-NIV). Thank God for this wonderful promise! But is this the true meaning or purpose of God why we have been created? Definitely it is more than that. You see, God speaks to us through His word and if we will just merely read the word and claim it without faith to the One who has spoken then it will absolutely meaningless. Faith believes and believing is achieving.
There was once a story in the gospel about “Ten Lepers” in Luke 17:11-19. The disease was called Leprosy and during the time of Jesus they were always in the “quarantine place” or far places where they are not allow to get acquainted with other people or even with their family. They are outcast for short. They are treated as “dirty or unclean”. Now the story tells us that these men with disease saw that Jesus was coming and they shouted with a loud voice - Jesus, Master help us! These lepers only heard that Jesus can heal the sick. They never witness Jesus on the actual healing session, but they believe that they too can be healed. So, what happens next when the Lord Jesus saw them He felt compassion and He healed them. If you will read through this passage you will noticed that all the ten lepers were healed but only one came back to Jesus to worship and thanked Him.

My dear friend, we are like these dirty, unclean and outcast lepers as far as the Word of God says. In this world even if you gain all the riches, the wealth, fame and glory, all these things are worthless without Jesus to heal and to clean you. These lepers have given another chance to live and to have life. No matter what we possess now, material things, wealth and money that keeping us away from God are all “disease” that we need to be healed. Yes, we are unclean in the sight of God.

Your life is not life if you don’t have LIFE

Our life is simply based on simple words that we often heard since childhood. The word of Jesus in John 14:6 - “I am the way, the Truth and the Life; no man can come to the Father except through me”. These are the words people sometimes actually misinterpreted. Many religious groups nowadays are unfortunately praying to God the Father with their own ways. They normally have a skeptical attitude towards praying of asking petitions to God. Since our childhood, the beliefs in which our ancestors embraced taught us if we sin or did something wrong - God will punish us. I remember when I was at a young age of 7 years old, every time I commit mistake my Uncle will tell me that God is very angry and He will punish me of what I did. This is definitely wrong mentality about God! They created and implanted fear in our minds towards God. God is a forgiving and loving God! God wants us to repent on our sins. He gave His only Son to die for us – to have life. That is the true meaning of LIFE. We must accept the source of LIFE which is the Lord Jesus Christ. Because only in Him we moved and have our being! (Acts 17:28a)

Jesus said in John 10:10 – “The thief (Satan) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full”. Jesus came to give us life and the life He was talking about is not just life – but an abundant life. Freedom of sin, healing our disease, restoring broken relationships, and He literally destroyed the works of Satan in our lives! This entire wonderful gift from our God was freely given to us through the cross. When Jesus died on the cross, Satan thought that he killed the Son of God – but he was wrong. Jesus death was the beginning of LIFE for us, to everyone no matter who you are or what you are – Jesus died for you, for me to receive the abundant LIFE! Because Jesus himself is our source of LIFE.

We are like the ten lepers. Our sins and iniquities have separated us from God. We are once outcast. Far from the blessings of God; but by His grace we have been saved through faith and reunited with God through Jesus death on the cross. Like these lepers we have been healed and given a new life. We must return to Him, worship and give thanks.

Now if you are creating life in your own or from the standard of this world – you are creating a meaningless life and it will end meaningless. The true meaning of life is not based on the material things, fame or how much money we have but it is from the joy deep within our hearts that only Jesus can provide. Life is not life without the LIFE Himself dwelling in us.

I challenge you to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Savior for you to receive LIFE and experience the abundance of blessings in which He has promised!

May you have a meaningful and abundant life through Christ Jesus
Kuya Jemar Valenzuela