Floating from Death to Life
Floating through life seems like a disturbing way to live. At worst it feels dangerous. Who knows where the currents might take us? At best it feels irresponsible. How can we float when there is so much work to do? Shouldn’t we be working hard for God? Aren’t we supposed to serve God and our neighbor? Doesn’t God want us to actively love God and our neighbor? How can we possibly float? It feels like floating is giving up or even surrendering to death.
St. Paul talks about this kind of death in Romans 6: 3-11:
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Being “dead to sin” doesn’t mean we will never sin again. Rather it means that we are no longer driven by the same need to pursue our personal ideas of success and happiness. It is that pursuit that drives us to treat others as objects along our quest for success and happiness. Instead God invites us to become open to a new, more fulfilling joy that comes through a loving relationship with God and other people. Rather than seeing others as a means to an end, other people no longer fulfill the roles of side kicks, heroes, villains, damsels in distress, etc. Instead we learn to relate to one another as brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, mothers and fathers. We learn that our relationships are more important than the goals and desired outcomes that have long driven us to neglect the very relationships God calls us to prioritize. Indeed, our relationships are even more important than our ego.
For many of us, our ego becomes a snare that traps us in sin. Our ego sometimes elevates us above others or (rightfully or wrongfully) declares itself offended by others. When we are hurt we would sometimes rather loose our relationships than reconcile. Then our pride becomes our god and we are left feeling very alone. This trap leads only to pain and righteous self-destruction.
Yet God’s love for us is complete and overwhelming, regardless of our actions. While our self-destruction may sadden God, we do not have the power to change God’s mind. We are stamped with God’s seal forever. As St. Paul said, “No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ” (Romans 8: 31-39)
So if we aren’t in control and we don’t have to swim for God, how are we supposed to relate to God? What does God want from us? Does God just want us to lay around floating aimlessly indefinitely with no direction or purpose? Will God abandon us to this fate?
No.
God wants to stop swimming and learn to float so that God can to teach us to sail!
