Romans 14:7-9
7 For we do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
I’m sure you have heard the expression, “It’s not all about you.” Most of us have been told this at some point in our lives or have said it to another person. Often we say it in jest to the other as a way of being amused when either ourselves or another get a little “big for our britches.” In driving the bus in our lives, we often feel like we are in total control. We decide what we eat, what time we will get up, and when to rest. There are some decisions in life that are beyond our control but many of our daily choices feel as if they reside totally in our hands. I often feel reminded of this at the doctor or dentist when they ask me about my habits of diet, exercise, and flossing. There is a lot that is in my control of how I take care of myself.
And, yet Paul reminds us that in the big picture of the world, the world isn’t really all about us. With each day, while it might feel that we dominate our world with choices and direction, God is actually the one that guides the world through every waking hour and even when we no longer live on this earth. This is God’s world and we live because of God’s creation, redemption and sustaining power. Even in death, Paul reminds us that God’s got us. There is no place in life or in death where God is not with us and that is the good news today and every day.
Prayer
God, in our “me-me” world, it is easy to for us to think that we are in complete control. We can become fooled into thinking that we hold the keys. Help us to take comfort in knowing that we live for you, in you and because of you. In Jesus’s name, Amen.