Rise and Live

Rise and Live

“Ahhh, this is the life!” I remember my wife and me agreeing on that declaration, as we reclined poolside at a Maui resort, within earshot of the waves softly slapping the beach. Cool beverages and satisfying meals—delivered-to-order—without taking so much as a step away from our towel-draped lounge chairs. As far as worldly beauty and total relaxation goes, that experience rates high on the “heaven-on-earth” scale.

While traversing the island on a quest for fun and recreation, we met people so smitten by the tropical lifestyle that they had pulled up their roots on the mainland to pursue “the life,” full-time. Some seemed happier than others, but none appeared to have discovered a life that maintained or even matched that fleeting feeling Wendi and I gleefully referred to as the life.

Most seemed to have adapted to the beauty of their new surroundings and while they still had an appreciation for that, it was apparent that their lives had interrupted the life they sought. They had to earn a living, deal with family issues and wrestle with some of the same old problems. There was an obvious emptiness still not filled; even in an earthly paradise.

Fast-forward 25 years…”Ahhh, this is the life!” There we were, back in paradise. This time it was the island of Kauai. We were celebrating 25 years of marriage. A family at church had graciously given us their condo to use to commemorate our silver anniversary.

As we awaited our short flight from Honolulu to Kauai, we struck up a conversation with an attractive, professional-looking lady who managed to tell us nearly her whole life-story in that brief time.

She and her husband lived on the island (just up the street from actor, Pierce Brosnan). Parts of the story were familiar. They fell in love with the tropical climate and lush beauty and decided to experience it full-time. But most of her tale sounded like a soap opera.

Part of it had to do with her father winning millions in the lottery and the grief that has caused in her family. It was forcing a move back to the mainland to share in the winnings. It involved a battle with her brother and on and on. (So, I decided, “There are two things I can cross off my list of what might help one qualify as living the life: dwelling in one of the most beautiful places on earth and winning the lottery!”)

The truth is that nothing this world has to offer can assure us of a permanent, dream existence. Just when you think you’ve attained it, something dies: the dream career; the perfect marriage; the stellar health; the rising bank account; a loved one; the hope of a new beginning in a new place. Ultimately, hope in those things is simply misplaced hope. Each misplaced hope initiates a dying process. It’s only a matter of time.

There’s nothing wrong with attaining the good things this world has to offer. But, if your hope is placed in those things, you die along with them. And some people literally, physically die from misplaced hope.

If you’re feeling dead inside, it could be related to the things you thought would give you the life, but have now sadly died. Your only hope is resurrection. You need a miracle. It’s not merely a replacement for the dead things; it is the infusion of new life—the life—into you.

Dead things can never give you life. In fact, the life is not an “it;” it’s a Who. The One who conquered death can resurrect any life. He only requires one thing: your life in exchange for the life. Only through Him can you rise and live!

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” –John 11:25