ZOE -- חַיִּים-- Chayyim

Zoe: Life (in Greek)
Jesus said , "I have come that you may have life--and have it more abundantly"
I got to thinking about my last post.  The enemy wants us (me) dead. Dead spiritually and dead physically.  The Bible says he was a liar and a murderer from the beginning.  Perhaps, I've been thinking, I have fallen for the lie, and lost out on the life.  I'm not speaking in terms of my eternal disposition....but about the one here on earth.  It is entirely consistent to say that the lie of the enemy is to deceive us to believe that death is preferable to life.  Spiritually or physically....he'll take either one and preferably both.

Jesus says that his whole purpose is Zoe.

So then should we not reject every thing in our lives that leads us to death and embrace what leads to life?  That includes a whole bevy of things; the way we eat.  exercise.  And more importantly, analyzing our lives to pick out the "deadening" or "death-dealing" factors in them and to be rid of them.  To reject them...
There is honestly, not much about my life now that makes me want to live.  Honestly, the quicker death comes, the better.
But, that outlook, that condition, is simply wrong.  It is antithetical to all the Jesus came for.

This week a friend from a period in my life of about 14 years ago got in touch with me via acebook....and we ended up talking on the phone.   She suffers from a rare disease resulting from neurological damage. It is a painful disease and a crippling one.  She was on huge amounts of morphine, sleeping her life away ...and was, quite literally, going to die had things continued as they were.  But in an act of desperation--she made a courageous move in an effort to maintain and enhance her life.  She moved down South to a community, where literally--everything was with in reach and accessible to her.  She left every"death-dealing"situation and went, seeking life.

And my friend.?  She is once more the exuberant lady I recalled knowing, doing well physically and filled with hope about her future.
From my vantage point, well, I know the courage that such a move took.  The grip of Thanatos is a strong one...and to break free takes supernatural courage and strength.

For a long time friends of mine have encouraged me to make such a move. I am in a dive for death right now.  And it may be that there is nothing that can be done to make a huge change in that direction.  But is it right to go willingly, without resistance?  Is it right to stay where I am being slain daily and the hope in me is being trampled and is shriveling to nothing?  And possibly, her move, is not, nor should be, my move.  But what IS my move?  What would a move toward life look like for me?

This is something that needs consideration.  It needs prayer.  It needs some honesty.  And it will need a whole heap  of courage.

L'chaim