Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Acts 20:12 (NIV84) The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.
ALIVE
They knew they would likely not see his face again. No wonder they lingered so long that Sunday evening in the upper room. No wonder Paul had so much to say to them. And no wonder one young man was sinking into sleep on the window sill at midnight. It was a three story fall. Then Paul went down, embraced the young man and told the others to calm down. Eutychus was alive! They stayed with Paul until his departure at daylight, but were greatly comforted to be taking Eutychus home alive.
On certain days-- birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas-- we recognize that our daily bread, and all it includes, is a gift from God. But Eutychus reminds us that we have something even more basic to thank God for: the breath of life which is supported by all these things. Moreover, friends and food may come and go, but the life that Jesus won for us on the cross gives breath even after we stop breathing. "He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die" (John 11:25-26 NIV84).
When Adam fell, he took his whole family with him, and it was more than three stories, "and so death came to all men, because all sinned" (Romans 5:12). "But God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead ... and God raised us up with Christ ... For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:4, 5, 6, 10 NIV84). May our hearts be ever comforted and our lives ever show our thanks to Him.
