New life

Life begins at a distinct point, and grows stronger through time, stress and faith.

Anne’s new life began with the kidney transplant 4 days ago – now her kidney, and the life it provides, is growing stronger hour-by-hour. She has begun to walk around for a few minutes at a time and sit up in a chair for an hour or so. We had a number of visitors today, including one couple who brought Bethany down. Thank all of you who have helped Bethany and Ben to come down and visit with Anne – it is so important for Anne’s heart to see and touch her children. As for me (Mark), I am finding it difficult to consistently love Anne in a Christ-like manner – which led me to review Romans 6 and Nee’s comments on Rom 6:12-14 & 19.  Both follow.

“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
Rom 6:12-14
 
“I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.”
Rom 6:19

“When I really know I am crucified with Him, then spontaneously I reckon myself dead (verses 6 and 11); and when I know that I am raised with Him from the dead, then likewise I reckon myself “alive unto God in Christ Jesus” (verses 9 and 11), for both the death and the resurrection side of the Cross are to be accepted by faith. When this point is reached, giving myself to Him follows. In resurrection He is the source of my life—indeed He is my life; so I cannot but present everything to Him, for all is His, not mine. But without passing through death I have nothing to consecrate, nor is there anything God can accept, for He has condemned all that is of the old creation to the Cross.” Watchman Nee


BTW: As Bethany and I were stepping out for dinner, Anne’s kidney set a new record for urine production – it produced almost one liter in two hours, 50 times what it initially produced!