Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Living Resurrected

Unbind him, and let him go.”

John 11:44c

Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. But before Lazarus could live he had to be unbound. Life came when Lazarus could again move every joint, every muscle, every limb, freely. At his unbinding he could get out and live his new life.

I once heard a sermon on living the resurrected life. The preacher exhorted his listeners to live out the Lazarus story by believing that Jesus could do the same in their lives. They may have been beaten down, trampled on, discouraged, feeling like death itself, but Jesus could speak into their “dead” lives “Lazarus, come out.”

I needed to hear this message. But it was Jesus’ final words that hit home. Living the resurrected life was available if I believed, but there was a key essential that had to happen to be truly free. Jesus needed to unbind all the straps that kept me bound up.

Straps could be a a vareity of things. In a church they may be systemic issues of control, gossip or traditions that bind up the resurrected life. Individually they may be negative attitudes, unrealized desires or paralyzing fears that keep me tied up.

Whatever the straps, Jesus says, “Unbind him, and let him go.” He wants me to live a resurrected life, unbound by anything that keeps me bound to the status quo. Living His gift of a resurrected, unbound life is to live a new life.

Jesus, thank you for the gift of a resurrected life.
Help me to live in that new life by speaking the words,
“Unbind him, and let him go.”
Amen.

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