Dead No Longer

READ: EPHESIANS 2:1-10; 3:19 Around me the scuff of thousands of feet scrapes over asphalt. A mob of the dead overtaking another city. Our leader is our hunger. Our need to make everything we encounter just like us. In my path is a dandelion that had been growing through a crack in the concrete. It lies flat and trampled by the hundreds who walk ahead of me. The flower is squished, the color is faded, and the whole thing is covered in dust. It’s as good as dead. I step on it and twist my foot anyway, crushing it even more. And it feels good. Once across the massive parking lot, the mob reaches the city limits. We break apart and go different ways. Some heading for businesses, some for homes, some for churches. A swarm of gray flowing into the streets. I follow the flow down Mainstreet. My body is numb, my limbs feel heavy, and my stomach commands more, more, more. Something touches my arm, and I halt. It’s warm. I’ve never felt warm before. I jerk my head around to see a man, clothed in the most vibrant colors I have ever seen. I look down at where he’s grasping my arm. His hand glows with the color of life. It’s a stark contrast to the lifeless gray of my arm—his strong healthy complexion against my papery, peeling skin. But wait, how am I feeling him? I’ve never felt anything before. At least, not like this. The warmth from his hand spreads throughout my arm, until it fills my whole body. The skin on my arm swells and colors until it looks just like his. Full of life. My eyes grow sharper, and his color becomes even more dazzling. I’m alive. I’ve never been alive before. Suddenly every craving I had a moment ago has shifted. I don’t want to destroy, I want to be with this man. His brown eyes are filled with more kindness than I can comprehend, even now that my mind feels sharper and more discerning. A laugh bubbles from within me, and I flinch. I’ve never made that sound before. The man is smiling now. Following behind him is a small crowd of people. They’re alive, just like me. When they see what the man has done for me, a cheer rings out among them, and they all run toward me with joy. • Emily Tenter • Today’s allegorical story is inspired by various Scriptures that show how desperately we need Jesus. Without Him, we are dead in our sins, ruled by our hunger for things that are not good. But even in our depravity, God loved us with an everlasting love, and He came to dwell with us in Jesus. Fully God and fully human, Jesus took our sins upon Himself when He died on the cross. But death could not master Him—He rose again, declaring that everyone who puts their trust in Him has new life! Have you ever thought about what it means that, before we knew Jesus, all of us were dead in our sins? Why is it so important that Jesus is alive—and He is the only one who can make us alive? (If you want to dig deeper, read Ezekiel 11:19-20; 37:1-14; Luke 15:1-7, 24; John 10:10-11; Romans 6:13; 2 Corinthians 5:17.) • Once we know Jesus, our desires start to be transformed. As we grow in our relationship with God, learning to rest in His love and forgiveness and kindness for us, our inclinations will be directed more and more toward love, forgiveness, and kindness for others. Can you think of a time you noticed God’s transforming work in your life? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this! (2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 5:13-23; Philippians 1:6; 2:13) • When Jesus...