Life has its challenges, and it is hard not to see someone else who appears to have everything and not wish that you could have what they do. I've seen movies where the actors switch places with one another, trading what is considered a life of luxury for a life as a bum or a simple country person. We even have reality shows where people switch places and try to live the other's life, though I don't think any of them want the life they get to see. It is easy to desire a life that we see as better than our own or to desire things that we think would make our life so much better. But when we see a life worse than ours we do not desire it, at least I don't. To see someone struggling with things that you can't comprehend struggling with. You wouldn't want to trade your life for theirs, no one in their right mind would want less than what they have. And yet, there is one who traded the ultimate life for one that is so horrible in comparison that we must wonder why it would be done.
Jesus lived a perfect life, one we would dream of (if we had good desires). He lived with the Father, God, in perfect love and shared an intimacy that few of us can ever comprehend and yet, even with this wonderful life, he chose to trade it for a life of much less. The life he traded for? In my case, mine. He took His perfect life and has given it to me in exchange for my broken life and the end result that was due it for the way it was lived. He took my punishment, my failures, my sins, upon Himself so that I could have the fellowship, the unwavering love of the Father. He did this for all who believe in Him and trust in Him for their salvation. The perfect life? I have it guaranteed for me, but don't get to live it quite yet. I still have this life to live and to strive for what will be, the life that I desire, the one where what I do pleases God. That life is coming, and so I have a future to look forward to, and so do you if you trust in Jesus Christ, the Savior.
