Devotion - Thursday, December 2

Luke 20:27-40 recounts Jesus' encounter with the Sadducees over the question of Resurrection. The Sadducees did not believe in Resurrection.

In his reply, Jesus quotes scripture's references to God as the God of Abraham and Issac and Jacob. Jesus says, "Now he is God of dead, but of the living. And we, too, shall live."

Jesus debunks the notion of death - it is set aside, it does not exits for those who are his children. Abraham, Issac, Jacob - they had surely "died" in body, but they are fully alive in God. The coroner would have pronounced them dead; the probate judge would have seen that their possessions were passed on to their descendants. The neighbors would have spoken of the "death." But to God, they are alive.

I wonder if we might use his words to question our understanding of living. There is the notion lifted up in TV sitcoms, or Hollywood movies. There is the reference to "living it up" in our weekend trash talk. There is reference to "making a living," which suggests that those earning more money are living more. What does "living" look like in God's eyes?

Eternally grateful for God's understanding of death, I am also eager to embrace God's vision of what it means to live. Wanting to set aside my fear of dying, I will embrace my Lord's notion of what it means to live.