by Billy Williams
Memento homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris. Remember, man, that thou art dust, and to dust you shall return.
This Latin phrase is the loose translation of Genesis 3:19 where God tells Adam he will now face physical death as part of the punishment for the Fall. But there is more to this than just a limit being placed on our earthly days. It is at this point that God recreates our relationship with Him. Chardin says, "We are not human beings on a spiritual journey, we are spiritual beings on a human journey." God is pointing out that until creation is set back in order we must remember that this earthly life is horizontal -- dust to dust. The life that matters is the one we live vertically -- spirit to spirit.
I spend a lot of time doing things in my life that only move me along the horizontal plane, sometimes forward, often backwards. What God wants from me are the things that move me to a higher elevation with Him -- prayer, praise, worship, meditation ... all the things a horizontal life seems to have no time for.
Heavenly Father, help me to look up for my strength. Place a vertical relationship drive in my heart. Teach me to live my life for You on both planes, that my day-to-day life would reflect You and that my spiritual life would rise to meet with You.
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