Much has been written of death and dying and for many people overshadows life itself. The world looks at death as the ominous inevitable end after an accumulation of years. How sad, to traverse a lifetime and be no closer to the meaning of life. 'The meaning of life' is not a strong enough term. It is truly life itself, for life is not an event or for a season. Life is a Person. Yet, it is not a matter of ignorance, but of avoidance. It is a heart that seeks not the things of the Spirit, for indeed it is not able. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.(Rom. 3:11) The unregenerate mind has no hunger for the things of the Father. It is blinded and unable to grasp the spiritual. The world with its problems, temptations and diversions looms ever greater and totally blocks the view of the panorama that is in Christ Jesus. It is hopelessly locked in the third dimension and in many cases does not know that a fourth dimension exists.

Cover Me With Him

The seed cannot germinate because it has not been planted. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (Jn. 12:24) Notice, it did not say, if a corn of wheat fall to the ground or onto the ground, but it said into the ground. A corn of wheat falling onto the ground is self crucifixion. This is the sacrifice Cain offered to the Father. It is unacceptable, because the offering is what Cain was willing to give not what the Father desired. This is a person who is hoping to find a way out of the situation or of justifying themselves by their own means before the Father. Their third dimensional senses are busily scanning all the possibilities to avoid surrender to the Father. A corn of wheat must be covered by soil to impart enough moisture to germinate the life it contains. In many cases we must be covered by the circumstances and situations of life to soften the hull of self. It is not an immediate change, but takes time for the moisture to penetrate. The seed can do nothing but wait in the darkness for life to come forth. It has not been rejected by the thorns or weeds, but only by the rocky soil. It is still encapsulated in its third dimensional husk that is totally impervious to the morning mist of the Holy Spirit. This is very similar to salvation. We may look at new life in Christ as instantaneous, but in most cases a period of time has elapsed. The Holy Spirit beckons us through the circumstances and situations of life to a walk that is totally foreign to our flesh. We fight tooth and nail to retain our self identity and to preserve that which we believe is life. It is only after salvation we realize the life is in the Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (1Jn. 5:12)

This seems to be the end, but in reality it is the beginning. It is only the hungry heart that is open to the possibilities of life. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. (Rom. 8:5) Why do some have a thirst to seek after the One we call Abba, Father and others have no interest? Why do the adversities of life drive some to their knees and drive others away? So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. (Rom. 8:8) It is a matter of being spiritual dead and not caring. This is the attitude of the world that says, "There are many paths to Heaven." The implication is, all you must do is pick a path that is agreeable to your flesh, believe this is the path, and the result will be eternal life. This is not eternal life, but a caving-in to the desires of the flesh. It is the flesh saying, "I will do what I want and when the end comes, I will plead ignorance. It is in total opposition to, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. (Jn. 11:25)

Give Me Life

So then, the last step is the first step. The last step is the dying of the flesh to self. It is the acknowledgment that we are debtors who find that to live after the flesh is death itself. We come to the reality there is nothing we can do for ourselves to merit eternal life. The first step is taken by the Father and places us in Christ. The wonder of it all is that the last step does not take place at physical death but, at spiritual life. Through our Father's eyes we no longer exist in the flesh for truly we are joint-heirs with Christ. The first step, is initiated by our Father, placing us in the midst of the heavenlies for all eternity even as we are ankle deep in the mire of this earthly life.