"The Land of the Living" (Part 4)

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:6-14 NIV).

The Land of the Living… is an interesting idiom. It means to be awake or alert. I certainly know that feeling of not quite being fully awake because of my experiences over the past few days since surgery. I was in the hospital overnight after surgery and was told early the next morning that I was doing so well that I could be discharged by noon. One of the last things to be done in order for me to be released was reviewing all the things that needed to be done once I arrived at home. There were certain medications to take at precise intervals; positions that I could rest in; and, how often I should walk and move about for maximum healing in a minimum of days. I must admit that I really felt good after surgery. In fact, I was walking as soon as they took the various IV’s and monitors off. I thought, “This is a snap so far!” Mary drove me home and got me settled in with everything I might need. I was doing so well that I thought I really didn’t need to take all of those narcotics they sent me home with. I know… you’re thinking that was dumb. And, it was. My youngest brother texted me and warned me not to act like “John Wayne.” That is to say I needed to take the medicine and do what the doctors said without trying to be the hero. Since he has just gone through a knee replacement, I should’ve listened to that advice!

The rest of Friday was pretty good. I didn’t sleep well as the pain began to build from the surgical wound. Saturday began with a high level of pain and it built from there! It was about as awful as it could have been. Believe me when I say that I started taking the prescribed doses and have continued taking them since! Today might be the first day that I would say I have rejoined “the land of the living.”

So here’s the deal. Paul tells his readers to live as children of the Light and produce the fruit of living in the Light: “goodness, righteousness, and truth.” At first glance it would be easy for us to turn that into a checklist of things to do. That’s the subtle deception of the devil. He wants us to believe that the product is the process. He wants us to believe that is we practice goodness, righteousness, or truth that means we are children of the Light. It is a very important distinction to draw. Act of goodness, righteousness, and truth do not produce life. They are the result of being in the Light. I’ve really just touched the fringe of this principle today. Tomorrow we’ll look more closely. Let me close today, however, by reminding you of what Jesus told the young man when asked, “What must I do to inherit the kingdom of God?” (cf. Mark 10:17-31). The young man boldly claimed that he had kept all the commandments from his earliest recollection. He went on to say that there must be more to be done. Jesus’ answer is so revealing: “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (verse 21, New Living Translation). It is a clear challenge to stop trying to DO something to gain eternal life and BE something.

There are no John Wayne’s in the Body of Christ. That is, there are no loners who know how to do it on their own. There are only followers who know how to do it in Christ! That is the essence of grace. It is the heart of the gospel. Today make a commitment to be a follower of Christ. I know, you now saying “tell me how.” Listen… if you will commit yourself to being a follower of Christ, He’ll tell you how! You will then be alert, awake, and in the land of the living!