And the dead will live. A poem inspired by John 5: 25 - 26

Truly, truly, I day to you, and hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself” - John 5:25 – 26

And the dead will live. What can this possibly mean? Can the voice of Jesus bring the dead back to life? Yes it can. We only have to look as far as Lazarus to know that is true. Throughout his time on earth Jesus demonstrates his ability to bring the dead back to life. In another display of equality with the Father, Jesus amazes his audience by claiming that he also has the power to give life. But there is another meaning of life and death here. Even though we are physically alive, we can be spiritually dead. Ephesians 2:1 – “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins. 1 Timothy 5:6 – “but the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. Colossians 2:13 – “when you were dead in your sins… God made you alive with Christ, he forgave all our sins. This kind of death is a separation from God because of our sins. God loves us and designed us to have a relationship with him. He wants us to know him like a son or daughter would know a kind and loving father. But we are not perfect and he is. Because of our sin, we can’t be close to him. We are dead to him. Our lives are empty. This is not how he wants it to be and this is why Jesus came to the earth to be one of us. He lived a perfect life among us then he died to pay the punishment of our sins. If we accept his sacrifice on our behalf, God forgives us and we are perfect and sinless in his eyes. We are now able to have a relationship with him. This is the life Jesus gives. When we hear his words and believe him, he has the power to bridge the difference between our imperfection and God’s glory so that we can have a personal relationship with God. Only then can we experience all the love, peace and freedom that God has for us. This is truly living.

Darkness settles across my mind

It is a cold and empty place.

Laughter swirls around my head

Tears stream down my face.

I want to cry out

Something is wrong,

I hear the music play

The tune is haunting

It teases my tongue

I almost know the song

The memories flit

Through my mind

Of a happier, better place

Was it real

I do not know

It seems so far away

I look around me

Nothing is right

Everything has gone wrong

I thought I’d be happy

I thought I’d find joy

This was the top of the world

But it was a lie

And I’ve been conned

Where do I go from here?

What is this place?

I can’t see straight

I feel like I’ve twisted my fate

How did I get here?

Where have I been?

Can I ever return?

Life goes on

But I feel trapped

I need to get away

I put on my mask

So no one can see

The darkness inside of me

I smile and laugh

Everything’s fine

Only I know it’s pretend

My chains they grow

Heavy each day

I don’t know how to stop

This fever in me

Consuming me

Driving me further away

From the place I once was

Innocent and true

Thinking the world was good

I want to go back

To see if it’s real

To find out if I can be free

Then you catch my eye

Across the room

There’s something different in you

I feel exposed

You can feel my pain

Do you hear my cry for help?

I stand before you

Dying inside

Drawn to the light in your eye

I hear your voice

Resound within me

I think I heard it before

You offer me peace

You promise freedom

You give your life for mine

It sounds so easy

Too good to be true

There has to be a catch

You don’t understand

Who I’ve become

You have to know I’m not worthy

Then you whisper

Your name in my ear

And suddenly it’s all so clear

I remember the stories

I heard as a youth

I suddenly know it’s all true

The weight has been lifted

The chains have been cut

I cannot believe I am free

Your name is Jesus

And you have the power

To turn my death into life

I fall on my face

Awed by your love

And give my life back to you

Now you are my master

My God and my king

You rescued me from myself

What a difference it is

To be living again

Forgiven and freed from my sin

The world’s so much brighter

Happy and lighter

Regret is a thing of the past

I’ll never go back

To the darkness inside

That death is a thing of the past

.

John 5:27 goes on to claim that Jesus is our Judge. To ask why a loving God would allow us to be Judged, please continue on to hub #45