The Biggest Lie

What is the biggest lie? You can have it all! Without even knowing it, we swallow this one whole. This illusion is inflated by advertising, polished on the playing fields, and bottom-lined in the board room. The roots of this lie are with Satan. The quest is driven by the inevitability of my death.

 

Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness by claiming Jesus could have it all.  View passage here. Note, however, that God sends Jesus, and us, out to be tempted. There is something about becoming fully human that requires we temper our budding life in the fire of temptation, in the face of withstanding the lie.

 

The truth? Life is found within limits. Speed limits. Weight limits Cholesterol limits. Blood pressure limits. Spending limits. One spouse. 24 hours a day and no more. In fact, a finite person can only live a finite life, unless…unless we let Christ do it. By limiting the Lord of my life to Jesus (and not to me or Wall Street or Madison Avenue or the band director or my boss or my addictions or the coach,) I finally pass through to eternity. Life unbounded.

 

If I go for the whole enchilada on my own, I will be consumed. If I lay my life down at the feet of Christ, I pass through to eternity but on this side of death.

²³ Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?"

   He said to them, ²⁴ "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. ²⁵ Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.'

   "But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'  

Luke 13:23-25 (NIV)

May I temper my life today. Die to live!