The Good Life

And now for something of my own, after two posts of other people's writings!

Recently, on my way to the Church, I was following a car. It was a nice car, one of those new 2005 Mustang convertibles. Apparently the driver knew it was a nice car, too, because his licence plate read "2RNULIFE"--"To our new life." This caused me to reflect on the New Life that is given to us in Christ Jesus, and a song by Christian rock group Audio Adrenaline popped into my head:

Good Life
I've watched my dreams all fade away
And blister in the sun
Everything I've ever had
Is unravelled and undone
I've set upon a worthless stack
Of my ambitious plans
And the people that I've loved the most
Have turned their backs and ran

Chorus:
This is the good life
I've lost everything
I could ever need
And ever dream of

This is the good life
I found everything
I could ever need
Here in Your arms

Loneliness has left me searching
For Someone to love
Poverty has changed my view
Of what true riches are
Sorrow's opened up my eyes
To see what real joy is
Pain has been the catalyst
To my heart's happiness

Chorus
This is the good life
I've lost everything
I could ever need
And ever dream of

This is the good life
I found everything
I could ever need
Here in Your arms

Bridge:
What good would it be
If you had everything
But what you didn't have
Was the only thing you need?

Chorus
This is the good life
I've lost everything
I could ever need
And ever dream of

This is the good life
I found everything
I could ever need
Here in Your arms

In about three and a half minutes, this song sums up the paradox of the Christian faith, that Jesus taught to us in the Sermon on the Mount--that it is only by abandoning everything that we have held dear, and choosing to follow Him, that we find true meaning and joy in our lives. Jesus told us that in order to follow Him, we must take up our own crosses and come after Him. He said that if we are willing to totally lose our lives, then we will truly find them!

But Jesus isn't asking us to do something that He was unwilling to do Himself! Instead, this Christmas season we remember that He Himself demonstrated this, by coming to earth as a little baby--one who was so poor, He didn't even have a proper bed in a proper home, but spent the night in a barn.

If God Almighty can make that kind of sacrifice for us, what kind of sacrifice should we be willing to offer in return?

I urge you then, brothers, remembering the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, dedicated and acceptable to God; that is the kind of worship for you, as sensible people. Do not model your behaviour on the contemporary world, but let the renewing of your minds transform you, so that you may discern for yourselves what is the will of God--what is good and acceptable and mature.
--Romans 12:1-2