Salvation

Sometimes people ask me: Are you saved? Do you ever get that? And the answer is of course, yes. That is a gift from Jesus. But we have to be careful not to reduce it, not to become simplistic about it. Because the life of faith is the journey of a lifetime. It goes far beyond that first yes. Salvation is just as much about life before death, as it is about life after death. And in that sense, the questions are ever before us:

What kind of life do I want to live? What kind of relationships do I want to have? What kind of world do I want to create? What kind of legacy do I want to leave behind?

The word “saved” in the original Greek language of the New Testament is “sozo.” It is also sometimes translated as, to be made well; to be made whole.

The question: Are you saved? may also be translated: Are you being made well?

Yesterday I reflected on the idea of success. In my mind, this ties into all the questions we raised above. Success, for me, living into my own salvation.

Again, today, I leave you with the question: How do you define success?

Let us pray: Loving God, we thank you for the salvation you offer through Jesus. We desperately want to be made well, to be made whole. Help us to trust you, and empower us to live into the questions themselves. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.