On Life and Advent from India

Some dear friends of ours, Brent and Melinda Snader, recently started a longer-term assignment with Word Made Flesh in Kolkata, India. Here's what Brent has been thinking about, particularly relevant during Advent....BH



Through the book Life with God, Richard Foster emphasizes the difference between bios (the Greek word for physical life, as I understand it) and zoe, (the Greek word that signifies original, uncreated, divine life that is from God and in God). Adam and Eve enjoyed perfect fellowship with God in Eden initially and following their sin they faced their punishment—death. God had told them that “in the day you eat of it you will surely die.” (Genesis 2:17). Yet on that day they did not cease to breathe or exist, but they were removed from the presence of God and their relationship with Him was broken, and in a real sense full life ended. In spite of our rebellion and persistent sin, God continued to be gracious and allow his chosen people to experience his presence in limited ways until he gave the greatest gift the world has ever received, Jesus. “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel—which means, “God with us.”” (Matthew 1:23) Jesus came to reverse our curse and separation from God that we might once again “have life and have it to the full.” John says about Jesus that “in him was life and that life was the light of men.” Through him we now look forward with longing to the day foretold in Revelation 21:3 when “the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them.” What does it mean to be alive? I believe it means to live each moment in the intimacy of God’s loving presence from which place all else becomes secondary. The “life that is truly life,” “life to the full” is about recognizing and opening ourselves up to the One who says to us, “I am with you. Are you willing to be with me?” This is what I seem to hear God saying more clearly to me lately, and I hope and pray that in this season of relatively increased freedom and time I will learn to say, “yes” to his invitation for intimacy.