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The “Life-Giving” Purpose of the Sabbath
It happened sometime in the fifteen years. All of a sudden I started hearing the phrase “life-giving.” “Being with my friends is life-giving for me.” “This part of my work is life-giving, but this part isn’t.” And so forth and so on. Part of me is tired of this phrase because of its overuse. But there is also something in me that is drawn to it. I do want to fill my life – including my work – with activities that are life-giving rather than life-draining. I expect you do too. According to Jesus, the Sabbath is life-giving.
Why Easter Matters
For Christians, Easter is not just a day. It’s a season, the 50-day season known as Eastertide. During this season we have the opportunity to grow in our understanding and experience of the resurrection of Jesus. Beginning today, _Life for Leaders_ will offer reflections on Easter in a series called “Why Easter Matters.”
The Sixth Word:
It is Finished
Because Jesus finished his work of salvation, you and I don’t need to add to it. In fact, we can’t. He accomplished what we never could, taking our sin upon himself and giving us his life in return. Jesus finished that for which he had been sent. We are the beneficiaries of his unique effort. Because of what he finished, you and I are never “finished,” to use this word in a different sense. We have hope for this life and for the next. We know that nothing can separate us from God’s love.
A Shocking and Inspiring Revelation
Like Israel, we are to be a channel of God’s grace to the world, beginning with our neighbor across the street or the woman who works in the office next to us. For us, it is “too light a thing” merely to enjoy our own salvation. Rather, we are reflections and expressions of God’s salvation throughout the world, wherever we are.
