Watching the newest episode of The Chosen wrecked me. Absolutely pitted me down to the floor. It isn't just the acting and the writing, it's the anointing that's on this series that just magnetizes your spirit until you can hardly breathe sometimes. I felt that way Sunday night. I know as the stories get more intense, the episodes will draw sooo many people to Jesus. Sunday night's episode as of this writing has half a million viewers. These are not just Christians watching yet another namby-pamby ho-hum, weak so-called Jesus production. This Jesus has substance. He's someone you can relate to. He came to earth to do it. What we could not do. What we could not even venture to attempt. And yet, he walked where we walk. Ate what we eat. Interacted with others. He grew in relationships, just as he did with his Father. So much to learn from that.
In this episode I was particularly struck with Jesus raising Jairius's daughter from death to life. And of course the verse that immediately came to mind was "I am the Resurrection and the Life." Jesus takes her by the hand, and whispers to her to arise.
Wow. Whisper in my ear, Lord. Help me to arise to ... life.
After the devastating loss of my husband, the love of my life, finding footing and grounding to keep going forward without feeling that life died with him has always been a monumental hurdle. It has gotten better, but still a journey.
So when I heard those words one more time speaking to me in my spirit by the Holy Spirit Himself, "I Am the Resurrection and the Life" while I was watching this I knew.
The conjunction isn't there for editorial effect or a filler. It's for truly ... life. He is not only the One that will one day raise my husband back to life, but He IS life. Totally. The Life.
So for your edification, here's what Strong's says that word means:
1) life
1a) the state of one who is possessed of vitality or is animate
1b) every living soul
2) life
2a) of the absolute fulless of life, both essential and ethical, which
belongs to God, and through him both to the hypostatic "logos" and to
Christ in whom the "logos" put on human nature
2b) life real and
genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, in the
portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but
after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a
more perfect body), and to last for ever.
A newness of life has begun this year. A huge shift is taking place not only in the world, the corporate church, but individually.
In me. Today, Lord. Today. Be my life. Like the old song says: