We are the Lord's

For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living. Rom. 14:7-9

The Christian's heritage is that he or she belongs, soul and body. to Jesus Christ: "we are the Lord's." Our days, our breath, our moments, our activities, our plans, our hopes, all belong to him. It is therefore a tragedy when believers seek to live for themselves; it is the ultimate contradiction. On the other hand, when we live unto the Lord, we are not only conforming our lives to reality, but are investing them with the most significant meaning that there is. For there is nothing greater than to do what we do in the service of Christ. All that is done for the Lord, no matter how menial in the eyes of the world, is vested with superlative value and eternal glory.

And this is something which is not ended by death, for Christ is Lord both of the dead and the living. As our Lord said in another place, God is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live unto him. Even death will not sever our relationship to him and as soon as the saint departs, they depart to be with Christ. And one day he will raise our vile bodies so that they are like his glorious body. Indeed, our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20-21).

Let us therefore not waste our lives by living for ourselves, but let us renew a commitment to give to our Lord what is already his. Let us live for him, and may our every word and work give him glory this day.