As we are experiencing the joy of Sukkot I received another letter from my friend Tom that I would like to share. Tom was incarcerated at a young age and still has a number of years remaining on his sentence. He does not have the opportunity gather with other believers and celebrate the Biblical Feasts like I do. In fact, he has asked me for a picture of my Sukkah because he has never actually seen one.
In my years of ministering in prisons, one thing has always held true: I have always walked back out. Even though these men openly share things with me, I’m sure I don’t really grasp the situation. I can’t imagine NOT walking back out that gate. But somehow, they find joy in their circumstances. I say “somehow,” but Tom’s letter makes it very clear: he finds fulfillment in Yeshua, the one who conquered death and promises life – now.
We don’t see always eye-to-eye theologically, but that isn’t important. I’m not editing what he sent other than a few points of grammar. I hope you can sense his heart and his joy as you read. Here is what he wrote:
This week as I read 1 John 2:25, “And this is what He promised us — eternal life,” my focus is on the concept of eternal life. When Yeshua died on the cross and God raised Him, the sting of death was defeated and the gift of eternal life was available to all. I have said many times, I do not fear death because the sting of death has been defeated! I do fear dying because I do not want to linger in pain and discomfort.
Eternal life is available to all who believe in Yeshua. Paul states, “If you declare with your mouth Yeshua is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved” (Romans 10:9-10). It is by the grace of God we are saved. One of the first scriptures I memorized as a child was John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
Eternal life… What is it? Did Yeshua only die and rise again for those who believe in Him only to have eternal life after death? Is everlasting life, eternal life, only something I obtain after I die? What about life here and now?
One of the greatest aspects of the promise of eternal life is that I know how the story ends. No matter what comes my way as I sojourn this earth, I know I have the promise, an absolute promise. It is a fact that I will live eternally with my Lord and Savior Yeshua because I accepted Him into my life and I am His! He knows my name! I believe upon taking my last breath in this world, I will then take my first breath in the presence of God! But I am convinced if I believe that Yeshua only died for my eternity, then I have missed the point of His life, of His suffering, of His death and of His resurrection. Yeshua stated in John 10:10, “I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full.” What Yeshua is saying is that there is more to Him than just eternal life. Paul writes in Philippians 3:10 that he wants to “know Yeshua and the power of His resurrection.” Paul was not talking about a future event in his life. Paul was talking about here and now. Paul wanted the power of the resurrection in his life today.
I have known people who believe this life is all we have. Death is final and there is nothing beyond death. Even if this is true (which I adamantly do not believe it is) I can say this… even if eternity is not promised, even if there is nothing beyond the grave, even if after this life there is nothing more, living in this world with Yeshua is the greatest experience I could have ever had. I cannot imagine what my life would be without Yeshua as my Lord. I have been told that Yeshua is a crutch for weak people. When I broke my leg, my doctor put my leg in a cast and had me use crutches to walk. Why? Because my leg was broken. Yes, Yeshua is my crutch. Why? Because my life is broken!
Now let me be clear as I stated earlier, I believe upon taking my last breath in this world, I will then take my first breath in the presence of God! The point I am making is that I am not only living in the hope of a future resurrection, but in my life today I live IN THE HOPE OF THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION! As I live out my life in the presence of God through the power of Yeshua’s resurrection, I realize God wants so much more for my life. Yeshua wants to be intimately involved in my life from the greatest of difficulties and the highest of joys, to the smallest of hassles and inconveniences of life. God wants to be a part of my life!
When I allow Him to participate in my life, I experience the transforming power of the resurrection. The power of the resurrection does not change my world. The power of the resurrection changes me and therefore, changes my response to my world. The power of the resurrection changes the way I react to the world and the way that I view the world.
My prayer for everyone who has taken the time to read this is that you will experience the transforming power of His resurrection in your life today, that the power of His resurrection will empower you to live beyond all your circumstances of life…
You may ask me why I serve the Lord
Is it just for heaven’s gain
Or to walk those mighty streets of gold
And to hear the angels sing
Is it just to drink from the fountain
That never shall run dry
Or just to live forever, ever, and ever
In that sweet old bye and bye
But if heaven never was promised to me
Neither God’s promise to live eternally
It’s been worth just having the Lord in my life
Living in a world of darkness
He came along and brought me the light
If there were never any streets of gold
Neither a land where we’ll never grow old
It’s been worth just having the Lord in my life
Living in a world of darkness
He came along and brought me the light
He’s been my closest friend down through the years
And every time I cry he dries all my tears
It’s been worth just having the Lord in my life
Living in a world of darkness
He came along and brought me the light
If Heaven Never Was Promised To Me
©1972 Andraé Crouch (1942-2015)