While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man—though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die.
Romans 5:6-7
One of my favorite music artists is Bryan Adams and one of my favorite songs of his is “Everything I Do, I Do it for You.” It is from the soundtrack of the movie “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.” One of the subplots of this movie is the romance between Robin Hood and Maid Marian. In the lyrics of the song, we hear the romantic words:
I would fight for you,
I lie for you,
Walk the wire for you,
Yeah, I’d die for you.
You know it’s true,
Everything I do,
I do it for you.
Now if you watch the music video that accompanies this song, it shows Bryan Adams in concert, but one can imagine scenes from the movie as the song is playing. Swashbuckling, fighting, bows and arrows, culminating in a passionate embrace and victory over the bad guys. Sounds great, right?!
Except none of us lives in Sherwood Forest, no one is sword fighting or trying to rescue a damsel in distress. This song came to mind recently as I ate a donut.
What? How does a donut relate to this song? Well, the words “I’d die for you” come to mind, because, as my Spiritual Father has told me, one of the most common causes of death is “death by donut.” We eat too many wrong things and it impairs our health and causes lives to end or be altered in ways that they shouldn’t have been. There is something heroic about a soldier or a firefighter staring into the face of death trying to save someone’s life. There is nothing noble about staring into a box of donuts and eating half of them. That just prematurely shortens our lives for really no good reason at all.
If you made your life into a music video set to this song, what scenes would play out with these words? For many of us, if we are honest, if we choreographed this video to match how we spend our time, there would be scenes from work, we’d be seen scrolling on the phone, ordering from Amazon, pouring over financial statements to make sure we have enough, cursing the government. Because it seems that just about “everything I do, I do for” one of these things.
If we made a video to this song, hopefully it would contain scenes from our spiritual lives.
I would fight for you—Imagine a fight between good and evil, between you and the devil, between being righteous and succumbing to temptation. Imagine praying, fighting to control your thoughts.
I lie for you—This doesn’t refer to lying for God, but rather an image of one kneeling, even lying prostrate, and beseeching God for His help and mercy.
Walk the wire for you—There is a delicate balance to life. Where is the line between work and family? Between wholesome fun and sin? Between needed rest and wasting time? Between doing what is right and what is popular/expected? To walk the wire for God is to fight to balance all of these things, and this balance is found in prayer, in being a good steward of our lives and the opportunities they bring.
I’d die for You—The Church consistently honors the lives of the saints, the people who have lived and in many cases were martyred (murdered) for their faith in God. Most of us don’t think about actually dying for God. We don’t think that our lives will imitate those of the martyrs—that someone will hold a gun to our heads or threaten torture or death if we do not renounce the Lord. If it came down to it, though, would you be ready to do that? Would you be ready for your life to end prematurely for the cause of faith?
Before you think, “c’mon Father, don’t be so dramatic” think about how many times you’ve eaten a donut, or six, and remembering you are essentially dying for a donut.
Everything I do, I do it for You!—I once was participating in a meeting where the moderator asked all the participants (including me), “If you could have one theme song as your ‘walk up song’ when you walk into a room, what would it be?” My answer, “the opening guitar riff from the Dire Straits song, ‘Money for Nothing.’”
Sadly, “Money for Nothing” would be the theme of many lives. Another popular theme would be “I Want It All.”
If we were to make a theme for our Christian lives, it should be the title of this Bryan Adams’ song, “Everything I do, I do it for You” meaning I do it for the Lord.
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me, uttering slanders against me, my adversaries and foes, they shall stumble and fall. Though a host encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though wars arise against me, yet I will be confident. One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I see after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the day of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent, He will set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies round about me; and I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord. Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me! Thou has said, “Seek ye My face.” My heart says to Thee, “Thy face, Lord, do I seek.” Hide not Thy face from me. Turn not Thy servant away in anger, Thou who hast been my help. Case me not off, forsake me not, O God of my salvation! For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me up. Teach me Thy way, O Lord; and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence. I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yea, wait for the Lord! Psalm 27
Stop dying for the donut, and keep living for God.
