“My life is a mess”! “I’m in a hell-hole”! “Help”!

This is a common ‘SOS’ message – ‘sounding-out-screamingly’ – from our base ‘dis-functional’ human nature.

We have tried – ‘desperately determined’ – to “make” our own life on our own terms (‘self-for-self’). But, somehow, our ‘WILL’ – which, we eventually come to realise, is: ‘Weak, Iffy, Lazy, Lost’ – is not up to the task.

So, what can we ‘do’? The simple answer is: we can ‘do’ nothing!

Well, then, what other option is on offer? It’s the ‘Good News’ delivered by the ‘Good News Himself’: Jesus (the Christ): “I have come that you may have life” (John 10:10) – in other words: “I have come that you may have My Life”.

Jesus came to remedy the ‘self’ (which is the soul without God) & restore the ‘mystery of godliness’ (which is the presence of God within the soul).

When we are in ‘self’ mode, we are separated from God. Jesus was sent by God (The Father) to rescue dis-functional humanity from ‘self’ destruction.

It was on the cross (of Calvary) that God in Christ dealt fully & finally with ‘self’ – the nature from which all our sins flow. He died on the cross – not only “for” you & me, but also “as” you & me.

In effect, Jesus answered humanity’s ‘SOS’ call. He restored functional human life by the functional life of God.

We receive Jesus Christ, by faith (which means: ‘Trust in the Giver’): then & only then: ‘Christ enables us to live in Him, all that He Himself lived & he lives it in us’ (CCC 521).

I hear you saying: “there must be a catch”! Well, there is! You face a stark choice / decision: are you ‘really, really, really’ ready to CHANGE YOUR MODE OF LIVING (i.e. the way you have been living your life)?

God has provided us with a power – the power of the Lord Jesus / the power of His Resurrection / the power of the Holy Spirit – by which every PROBLEM may be overcome. To get the benefit of this power: we must: submit to / be conformed to: ‘the death of Jesus’ / ‘the life of Christ’: ‘die to self-life’ / ‘rise to spirit-life’.

Jesus said: “If any man wants to come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily & follow Me” (Luke 9:23).This involves taking PERSONAL responsibility in the matter of: “denying ourselves”: “taking up our cross daily”: “following Him”. In summary: Jesus demands that we apply the metaphorical ‘cross-of-death’ to all our ‘selfish’ tendencies in order to cease all our ‘selfish’ behaviour.

The message is: our Rescuer / Saviour (Jesus, the Christ) is on ‘stand by’ for our ‘SOS’ call: “WAITING TO BE WANTED”: to Gift us His Grace: to set us free (i.e. to free us to be: all God intends us to be).

Daniel (www.konect-1-2-1.com) 16/3/14