Loved Into Life
We are using this reflection page to remind us of some of the key elements of our vision that was shared in our recent family meeting. The vision of the river and the tree (see Ezekiel 47:1-12) speaks of a church that has been loved into life and that is learning to live in love more and more.
In this article, we’ll consider again some of the dimensions of the life that we have been loved into.
- We are made alive through the self-giving love of God. The river flows from the throne on which we see a lamb that has been slain. The love that loves us into life is most fully and most perfectly shown on the cross of our crucified king.
- Living in the Father’s love. The love revealed by Jesus – most completely at the cross – and in the Holy Spirit, reveals that God is a loving Father who loves us unconditionally, extravagantly and relentlessly.
- Enjoying a life that flows from worship. We are therefore most fully alive when we are enjoying intimate union with God. We are created to worship. We come alive in worship, and worship becomes a way of life.
- Learning to live well and to live whole. We are made alive in our spirit when we first trust in Jesus, and then that life gradually fills and transforms us, making us whole in our soul. Also, as apprentices in the new life of God’s kingdom, he trains us in the ways he designed for us to live well.
- Being transformed through God’s living word. A major part of this transformation and training is experiencing the power of Scripture as the living word of God – not as dead letter, but as living word.
- Experiencing resurrection life in our everyday worlds. This life is a supernatural life and is continually at work within us. The river of life cannot be contained within a building or a meeting, but flows in us and through us – and wherever the river flows there is life.
- Living with God through the whole of life. As well as filling the whole of us, the river touches the whole of life, in all its rhythms and seasons. We learn, by the Spirit, to practise the presence of God, so that our daily life is consciously ‘a with God life’.
- Overflowing with life in creativity and diversity. This life crosses any sacred and secular divide. All of life, love, relationship, laughter, art, music, etc. is an overflow of this life. ‘The glory of God is a human being fully alive.’