Living the Resurrection Life

After collecting my tools for the job, it’s time to get to the dirty work.  Not exactly what I’m anxious to do after enjoying steaks off the grill on this cold March day.  For some reason unclogging the tub drain doesn’t compliment the food very well.  Taking out the stopper I begin work with the pliers to pull away trapped hair.  The plumbers snake collects even more.  Hopefully that will be good enough and this job is done but…no. 

The water is draining ever so slowly.  Bummer!  Out comes the plumber’s snake again.  This time with more resolve and much further down.  Pulling it back out, little by little, putrid water splashes all around the tub.  Then a hair ball the size of a small mouse pops out.  Finally, water flow is restored.  Strange as this may sound I have been living the resurrection life. 

This season leading up to Easter is the perfectly appropriate time to be thinking about resurrection life.  It goes without saying that our resurrection life is firmly grounded in Christ’s resurrection.  Scripture refers to it not just as a historical fact or a future eternal destiny but as our present reality.  As re-birthed followers of the risen Savior we walk in newness of life having received life from the Spirit that dwells in us (Romans 6:4; 8:11; Ephesians 2:6; Philippians 3:10; Colossians 2:12; 3:11).

It is natural if not common to believe that this resurrection life takes form and is realized as we pray, serve others, read Scripture, resist temptation, do ministry or enter into other “spiritual” exercises.   This is not untrue.  It is untrue, however, that these are the only times.    

The power of the resurrection life is released in dailyness – as we are digging a ditch, lunching with a friend, preparing a meal, planting the garden, changing a diaper, jamming on an instrument, putting jam on our toast, walking to work, playing a board game, mowing the lawn, answering a note, giving an answer and yes, even unclogging a drain. 

It is a detail by detail, day by day, alive together with Christ, resurrection life that we are living.