(this is what came of my blog attempt)
Live like you’re dying. .
See, that’s the thing. To live like you’re dying is a common saying in the culture of my generation. But.. is this statement we’re so often saying, true? Are we dying?
I was talking to a friend of mine this evening and he was telling me of all the fun he will have on his birthday this year. As he went over the vague, yet obvious plans, of what I would consider hellish behavior, he ended the conversation with “gotta live like you’re dying right?”
As I went along with that thought I couldn’t help but let the saying run in my mind over and over.
Live like you’re dying..
Live like you’re dying…
Now at first thought, the statement is appetizing. Meaning: live your life to the fullest. Do what feels right. Dream big. Jump in head first. Get crazy, have fun, no reservations! But after that moment of thought slips away the statement becomes rather.. depressing.
Live like you’re dying..
Like you’re DYING
The thought struck me after awhile. Who wants to live like they are already dying? I mean, why is it that you have to be dying to really live? Reality is that, yes, with every breath we breathe we are one step closer to life on this earth being over.
But what If I told you…
What if it were fact, that even with your last breath, you weren’t dying at all.
What if, you were actually living?
Stay with me here.
To live like you’re living…
Though it doesn’t really roll of the tongue as well, it rings in my ears to be more true than not.
If you know me at all, you might know what I did next.
A Word study
Live.
Living in the bible is used over 700 times in the NLT (don’t hate)
The kind of living we’re talking about here is found in Genesis 3:22
It says:
Then the LORD God said, “Look, the human beings have become like us, knowing both good and evil. What if they reach out, take fruit from the tree of life, and eat it? Then they will live forever!”
Now that word “live” translates to the word “chayah” which is a hebrew word. And the definition of that word is to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live forever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health
As I study this word, the definition response “live forever” stuck out more than any others.
Some would say to “live forever” is equivalent to the word “eternal”.
Word study
Eternal life or living.
Eternal life is found over 55 times in the NLT (don’t hate)
The kind of eternal life were talking about here is found in Matt 19:16 it says:
Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”
The word eternal life is broken down into two words:
Eternal – aionios (Greek word)
• without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be.
• Without beginning
• Without end, never to cease, everlasting
Life – zoe (Greek word)
• the state of one who is possessed of vitality or is animate
• every living soul
with all this, what would it look like to live like you’re living?
To live like your life is… eternal.
Let’s be honest here. We’re not dying are we?
To live like you’re dying is just a fluffed up way to say “live life (on earth) to the fullest”. “Do everything you can before you can’t do it any more”.
But what would your life reflect right in this moment if you lived life like it was eternal?
Never ending, without end or beginning…
“to the fullest” would then have a different meaning wouldn’t it?
It would no longer mean “do the things you don’t do, so you you can say you did them before you died..
To live life would then become a straight up choice.
You can choose to live life like it’s going to last forever. Reality is that, your carnal body will die, yes that’s true. But you.. you’re eternal. That’s how Jehovah made little ole you and little ole me. We were meant for eternity weather that’s in paradise or in the lake of fire. We were meant for forever. The earth is just a place where we get the option to choose how we’re going to live…
Live like your life is forever…
Live like your life has purpose
Live like your life is worth something
Live like your life has value
Live like your life has more to offer
Start living like you’re eternal. It might be far more fulfilling in the long run.
