Most people have a strong desire to improve this world and their own lives. Why? Because deep down they know that the world is not as it should be. It’s still broken in many ways, and so are we. We’re all part of the story of redemption and healing that God has been writing since the beginning of Creation.
CREATED FOR LIFE
God created us to live life to the fullest. To know him personally, with nothing coming between us. Never hurting others or being hurt. To enjoy the world he made for us. To live with joy, purpose, and meaning every day.
Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person (Genesis 2:7).
SEPARATED FROM LIFE
But the first human beings turned their backs on God and the amazing life he was offering them. That’s how death, pain, evil, and loneliness became part of our human existence. Through that one rebellious choice, our access to eternal life was cut off. “Not fair,” we might say. But we’re all sinners. Deep down, we know we do the same thing as those first humans did: we put ourselves first, choosing our own way over God’s.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).
RESTORED FOR LIFE
Jesus came to bring us back to life. On the cross, the Son of God died for us. He paid full price for all our rebellion and defeated evil. Then he proved it by coming back to life forever. Now he offers full, true, eternal life to anyone who’s willing to trust in him and in what he did for us. It’s a free gift — but it still costs us our pride. We go from death to life when we stop living for ourselves and instead trust Jesus enough to give him everything and follow him.
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10b).
But it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel (2 Timothy 1:10).
CHOOSE LIFE
You have a choice. From this point on your life can go in one of two directions:
You can stay in charge of your life, separated from the wonderful life Jesus is offering you.
OR
You can give your life to Jesus and discover a relationship with God that starts to change you from the inside out. You’ll know purpose and meaning and experience the joy of being totally forgiven. You’ll start to find healing from your past and learn how to really love. You’ll be fully alive, now and forever, as you experience Jesus living in you through his Spirit.
HOW TO CHOOSE THAT LIFE
- Acknowledge that you have sinned — you have chosen to live your way instead of God’s, and, as a result, you have disobeyed God, harming yourself and others.
- Thank Jesus for dying on the cross to deliver you from the penalty of all the wrong you have done.
- Believe that Jesus rose from the dead to offer you a new, eternal life with him.
- Invite Jesus to direct your life so you can love others in his strength.
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9).
Here’s a suggested prayer to help you commit your life to Jesus:
Father, I’ve lived life autonomously for way too long — disobeying you, and, in that process, harming others and myself. I believe that Jesus died to free me from all evil and pay the penalty my wrongdoing deserved. Please forgive me and cleanse me because of his sacrifice for me. Thank you that Jesus did not remain dead. You raised him to life. I accept the free gift of a new, eternal life with you that Jesus offers. My life is now yours. Please enable me to live your way by coming to dwell in me by your Spirit. Amen.