———————————————————————————————-

Last Saturday, my wife and I had to drive our daughter and her friend back to their college, as it is the end of their Spring Break. We arrived at the campus smoothly and began to unload our daughter’s stuff to her dormitory. I saw the campus is “quiet” and “lifeless” with very few students walking by. It was quite a different scene from the week before when we picked her up – many students were walking around the campus and some of them were waiting for buses to take them home.

The “quiet and lifeless” scene gives me an idea to share with you. Many of us may have certain hobbies, habits, or enjoyments. If you are a fan of sports or games, then you would know what I am talking. When a sport / game season starts, I am sure that your spouse or friends and families would not miss “you are fully alive again” scene, comparing with those out-of-season times 🙂 I myself have the similar experience. When fishing season starts, the fresh smell of the local creek seems just around my nose, I would come to life again, after the long winter.

To be alive to someone is a scene that Prophet Elijah had experienced when he asked God to send fire from heaven to burn the wet logs on the altar. Elijah taunted the prophets of Baal, “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” (1 Kings 18:27). Elijah’s triumph over Baal’s prophets marked the victory of God and certainly made Elijah feel fully alive.

In fact, two thousand years ago, people in the city of Jerusalem experienced the “fully alive” scene too. On the week prior to His crucifixion, Jesus was hailed and welcomed by the people of Jerusalem. When Jesus rode a colt entering the city of Jerusalem, many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! (Mark 11:8-9)” The city of Jerusalem was “full of life” and they thought Jesus was the one who is going to save them from the misery caused by the Roman Empire. A week later, however, it was a very different picture – they crucified Him. The main reason would be wrong expectation and hardened hearts toward Jesus.

The sudden change of their attitude toward Jesus, however, gives us a lesson to consider. Firstly, do we have a wrong expectation or motivation when we feel alive toward someone? As a Christian, we may feel very alive in serving God’s kingdom. However, are we more eager to get personal recognition than to please Him? When we are having a wrong motivation and expectation, we soon would be discouraged and become lifeless in serving Him, because we didn’t get what we “think” is deserved. Secondly, do we have a tender heart toward Jesus? Consider Jesus’ example in serving others, how can we forget that He scarified Himself on the cross in place of us? When we don’t have a tender heart like Him, we would not be sensitive to others’ need either. Our hearts would gradually be hardened because we only look into our own interests.

My dear brothers and sisters, “What kind of things makes you feel alive?” “Do you feel lifeless in serving Him?” Let us examine ourselves constantly. May He give us strength and correct motivation in serving Him.