An 8-1-1 Call
An 8-1-1 call
The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
— Romans 8:11
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The life-saving technology of 9-1-1 changes lives. Literally. If you’ve ever used those three numbers in a medical emergency, you know how thankful you are.
This 8-1-1 call is a little different, but we should be equally thankful for it. (I’m speaking here of 8-1-1 as Romans 8:11.) In this single verse, Paul lays down life-enhancing theology. He says the Spirit of God lives in you. If that’s not enough, the Apostle says the same Spirit of God that raised Jesus from the dead gives life to our mortal bodies.
LIFE to our mortal bodies? Um, is that like necessary coffee in the morning? Is it waking from a power nap revived and refreshed?
Paul saying we have so much available to us through the Spirit of God when we live in light and love, peace and joy. This is sweetness! Conversely, we’ve all been in dark or dead places. When we stray, when we fall, when we drop into the bottomless abyss of negative thoughts and actions, we know this is true: our mortal bodies have no life.
As God raised Jesus from death to life, God can also raise us from death to life—from despair to delight, from sorrow to celebration. That’s big. No, that’s actually huge.
How can this happen? When does this happen? This death-to-life action happens when we remember Romans 8:11. Remember this verse when you’re down. Recite this truth when you’re lost. Rejoice in this life changer when you have nothing positive to hold on to.
And this is awesome: you don’t need a landline or a cell phone to activate this help. When your body needs to be revived—when you need to move from death to life—do this. Recall 8-1-1.
Amen.
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