Life As Gift

MON., JUNE 11, 1990,8:15 AM
NEW OFFICE, PULLIAM

Today you commence a new class, the title of which is death, but the focus of which is life. Death is necessary, but only because there is life, and life is a process, first of growth and then of decline. You need to continue to believe, as you do, that life is a gift, but also that any gift can be returned or exchanged. Now I know that sounds a bit strange, but I have lots of time and space in which to explain, now don’t I?!

Life in an earth body is a gift. You cannot earn it or develop it yourself. Once the basic physical life force is given your body begins to respond with growth, but the food it uses is a gift from the mother, which may be provided, indirectly, by the father. As a human you depend on gifts for life until about middle childhood. You then begin to exchange dependence for opportunities to give to others.

You helped give life to five sons, though Lenore’s role was much more direct and obvious. You were able to do this because you had been given life, and you have used it well. Three of these sons of yours have helped give yet newer life. This encourages you to feel some pride, but it also must cause you to consider your place in the aging process. Your parents are still alive, and they enjoy another generation of perspective. It shall not seem that it is your time to give up this gift while they are still alive, but this is always possible. Your parents shall continue to live for some time, but increasingly they are ready to give this gift back, well used.

There is no direct exchange in earth life, but symbolically old lives are returned in order that new ones might flourish. This is a basic premise in all forms of life, and human is included. There should never be an excess of the old of any life form. Many in your culture tend to be unrealistically sentimental about this. Life is a gift to be used… and also given away. It is sacred because I created it, but, then, I have created all that you enjoy, here in the earth. It is hard to say, but I shall: garbage and trash were once creations of Mine, but there comes a time for such to be thrown out or recycled.

Remember, always, that spirit, the essence of the human, lives on, often in a better state than when in the old body. You know this, which is beyond just believing it. This should bring Us to consideration of a current “fuss” in your culture – euthanasia or suicide. Now I have to admit that I have allowed, even encouraged, some Christians to feel that life should be sustained at almost any price. Yet this, alone, is a position not finally compatible with a finite earth… and the transformations your culture now takes to be necessary and desirable.

Thus, I encourage you, as a responsible Christian, to argue that life can be “given back” when it is no longer possible to live fully. To hang on to life when it can be of little benefit is selfishness. The old, infirm person has a right to be unselfish, as well as those younger. Again I say it is the motivation that counts and to which I attend. The actual action is of little interest to Me. When an old, sick, and disabled person wants to offer his remnant of life as a gift to the next generation, I say, “Huzzah!” When couples declare their love for each other by dying together I accept them, with open, everlasting arms.

When wars occur, virtually every culture has honored those soldiers who have given their lives, particularly for the benefit of comrades. (9:05 / 9:06) The same feeling should prevail, for some elderly can feel an honor in giving up life that others might benefit. As Jesus I brought Lazarus back from death, but I did it in friendship and to display the power of God… and not to deny the reality of physical death. There were other request for resurrection that I did not honor.