Life is Fluid
After finalizing my high school exams I was back home. With all the time in the world, my small mind thought so. It was now time to watch television all day. I diligently did basic house chores and other assignments from my parents. At the same time, I followed every soap opera episode, weekend program, comedy, movie, politics, and music. I was determined to entertain myself thoroughly. Life was fun and easy. My brother mainly played hip-hop music over and over. In the process, I got interested and, without really thinking about it. I was into hip-hop music.
I picked up my favorite artists, and just like that, I would spend days and nights listening to and watching their music. Unconsciously, I was shaping my worldview from my hip-hop heroes. overtime I wanted to be them, especially dressing like them.
One Sunday, a close friend from a neighboring church invited me for a Sunday Rally. I can’t recall many details but what stuck in my mind was the topic of discussion, “Sexual Purity and Secular Music.” I had never heard anyone address such topics before. The speaker didn’t ask for an altar call, but this day marked the beginning of something new towards leading a meaningful life. Here is the Study Material for your reference, UNDEFILED is available at https://globalactivation.africa/ebooks/
I suddenly realized I needed to share what I had learned because I felt so relieved and set free. I introspected how I was spending my time chasing vanities and felt so disappointed. I wasn’t reading my Bible, I wasn’t praying, and I even didn’t think I needed to.
In a week, God graciously opened a door, and I got an opportunity to get well rooted in following Christ and discover my true identity. It became clear how I needed to pour my life first for Christ and secondly to let people know the truth about life. Suddenly I didn’t want to see people chasing after vanity. I realized that God has a definite plan for my life and by reading the Bible I can discover that plan. I also discovered that if one doesn’t read the Bible one is condemned to a lesser standard of life hence wasting it on vanities.
Life Has to Be Spent and Cannot be Recollected.
The reality of life is it’s not permanent. Someday you will die. You will be like water that is spilled on the ground. No one can gather it. Paul the Apostle expresses how he felt his life was being poured out on behalf of those he served as an act of worship to God.
He did not consider his imprisonment a disadvantage even if it ended in death! He had joy in life because he had poured it out in service to God (Phil 2:17). Paul had labored for the salvation of the Philippian church. He risked a lot, exposing his life to so much danger because he wanted to ensure that the Philippians and others heard the gospel. Because of them, he endured much suffering to the extent of imprisonment. But we see him saying that he had no regrets at all. In any case, the experience filled him with joy. He was ready to exchange his life for theirs as long as they received the gospel.
The act of pouring libation is associated with sacrifices. Usually, before a priest sacrificed an animal, wine was poured on it as a sign that one has completely devoted the sacrifice to God, Numbers 28:7. Similarly, Paul saw himself as that drink prepared for the sacrifice.
Your life is like a fluid, and no one is exempt; Many sacrifice themselves for things such as money, relationships, education, power, entertainment, religion, politics, traditions, families, children, and fame. Every other day our lives are spent on something. The most important question is, is it worth it? Will it count in eternity, or will it be a wasted life?
Spending Your Life on a Worthy Cause
God has a plan for our lives. His plan is not accidental or something He thought about when you were born. He already had an original mandate in which every human being fits. God commissioned every human being to be fruitful. He blessed the human race by giving you a mandate so that just like He created the universe with His Word, we can continue with the creation process.
God’s way of blessing humanity implies that you must pay high attention to His Word. In that way, you discover your purpose in life; to be fruitful, multiply, replenish the earth, have dominion over God’s creation, and subdue it. Any life, male or female white or black, rich or poor, that is not functioning in all these five areas, is not maximized. Life has many parts; social life, spiritual life, professional life, or occupations through which we earn income. They all should be fruitful.
In Genesis, we see how the enemy deceived Eve and Adam followed suit. The fallout was that they lost God’s commission for humanity in the process. However, in Matthew 28, Jesus revisited the original commission. Jesus came and took back that authority God had given Adam. Then He said, ”all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, therefore, go and make disciples of all nations.” In being fruitful, we are expected to reproduce and have offspring. Fruitfulness for a disciple means reproducing spiritually with the Holy Spirit’s help.
Like Paul, our lives need to fulfill the desires of Jesus who already demonstrated for us by laying down His own life for the salvation of humankind. Once we got saved, our lives ceased being ours. We now owe the One who bought us with His Blood. We are now living our lives to please Him, not ourselves. A person not reproducing by leading a soul to Christ is not fruitful. Reading the Bible, praying, or attending meetings is part of the process, but are you obeying the Word of God by reproducing? You are a spirit being – born again, regenerated, and you can minister to somebody. And by the work of the Holy Ghost, that person also regenerates. That is spiritual reproduction.
Our lives should be poured out pursuing the purposes of Jesus Christ. If not, we will spend our lives on something or someone less. Your one life needs to be protected and preserved by prayer, reading God’s Word, and obeying what He commands so that we will not waste it. What you do with one life is your choice. I choose to pour mine on the only Worthy One!
For anyone interested in radical spiritual growth I recommend these studies. They have shaped my own life immensely! https://globalactivation.africa/newman/ and https://globalactivation.africa/ebooks/ Also feel free to reach me at joyminayo@gmail.com
Joy Minayo is a disciple-maker in the Activate Kenya community, and she enjoys using online media and writing blogs to help mobilize disciples towards reaching the unreached.
References
Mark 14:1 commentaries: Now the Passover and unleavened bread were two days away; the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to seize him by stealth and kill him; (n.d.). Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/mark/14-1.htm
Numbers 28:7 the drink offering accompanying each lamb shall be a quarter hin. Pour out the offering of fermented drink to the LORD in the sanctuary area. (n.d.). Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages. https://biblehub.com/numbers/28-7.htm
Philippians 2:17 commentaries: But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. (n.d.). Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/philippians/2-17.htm
