April 2014

\"I AM alive for evermore\"

[Revelation 1.18 NEB]

Somebody wrote to me: \"As I contemplate the Word of I AM, he comes alive in me.\" This is bound to be the case because the Word is life. In contemplation, we receive his Word. It inevitably colours our attitude. It changes everything we are and everythi ng we do. In Saint Paul\'s words, we \"put on the Lord Jesus Christ\", assimilating both his crucified and resurrected life.

At the first Easter, the disciples were frightened by their Master\'s appearances. Their fear turned to joy, a joy that remained unbreakable even when t hey were subjected to ruthless and appalling persecution. The Gospel of Saint John presents a Christ who frequently speaks on the subject of death and eter nal life. A clear distinction is drawn between the death which must come to all forms of earthly life, and the life which is eternal. We are able to enter and possess eternal life now. We can do this as we come to believe in him: \"Anyone who gives heed to what I say and puts his trust in him who sent me ha s hold of eternal life ... If a man has faith in me, even though he die, he shall come to life\" (John 5.24; 11.25).

Crucifixion , whether it comes through illness, bereavement, material loss or in any other way, becomes bearable because of the hope of eternal life with Christ. We fi nd, as we contemplate his Words, that we come to share his risen Easter life. Even the language of terminal illness and death loses its chilling grip. We a re able to begin now to live in the realm of eternal life.

Even more important, God who is eternally present as I AM, enables us t o help others to enter that realm, especially by means of contemplative intercession. In stillness and silence, we remain focussed on the Saying: and at th e same time we bring into our silence the person or concern for whom we wish to pray. Then, in God\'s name, we speak the Word to them: I AM alive for eve rmore ... I AM alive for evermore ... The founder of our Fellowship once said, it is as if we have tuned in to the Word of Life, and now we may become a ki nd of spiritual loudspeaker broadcasting it to those in need.