|
He is...the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as
though they were.
Romans 4:17
When we think of God giving life to the dead, the first image that comes to mind may be Jesus standing at the grave of Lazarus, shouting, "Come forth!" But God also rejoices in giving life to those who are spiritually dead, emotionally drained, and totally hopeless. Countless people today are only a shadow of what God created them to be. They are dead because the life-giving light of God has not shined into their hearts. But God loves to speak his word into the darkness and bring forth life.
Thousands of years ago God spoke to Abraham, an old man whose body was as good as dead, and told him he would become the father of countless descendants (see Genesis 22:17.) Later God spoke new life to common fishermen and told them, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men" (see Matthew 4:19.) He reassured the condemned thief dying on a cross beside him, "Today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43.)
And today he still says to the hopeless, "You have a future!" He says to those overwhelmed with guilt, "Your sins are forgiven!" And he says to the unloved, "You are my cherished one." He still is calling "things that are not as though they were."