It is Life to you!

As I read through Proverbs 4 today I was struck with how many times the author tied the Word and wisdom to life.
In verse 4 we read: Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live.
In veres 10 we read: Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many (full).
Again verse 13 confirms: Keep hold of instruction, do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.
Finally in verses 20-22 we find: My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ears to my saying. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.
It is impossible to look at these verses, all found in the same chapter, and not see how important the author felt the commandments, teachings, precepts and wisdom of the Law of God really were. In fact, he felt they were so important he associated them with life itself. He seems to suggest that life flows out of embracing them.
Well, you can imagine my confusion then when I read Galatians 3:21b (from McCheynne's 4th column) shortly after. This verse says, "For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed by by the law." This verse seems to suggest that the Law cannot give life. How do I reconcile these two statements which seem to be making opposite truth claims?
Well, as is always the case, a true interpretation must always consider the context, and when we dive into the context of each of these verses a beautiful harmony comes out.
Back in Galatians, if we take the next verse (part of its context) we learn something very important. Verse 22 clearly states, "But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe." You see what the Law does so well is condemn us. It shows us our sinfulness. It holds up God's righteous standard, and try as we might, we find that we cannot attain to it. If we are honest with ourselves it leaves us before God in our sin with nothing to hold up in our defense.
But that is where God wants us because from this vantage point the only place to look is at Christ. And when we look at Christ we see someone who is sufficient to remove the barrier of our sin (lawlessness) and to provide us with a cloak of righteousness, for He alone kept the Law without exception, even to the point of submitting His will to the cross. Now those who look to Him in faith will have receive the promised eternal life. So in this way the law does bring us life because it brings us to Christ who is our life.
But there is more as well. Once we have come to Christ through faith, the Law / God's Word takes on a new role. Rather than being something we obey to attain eternal life (which we saw we cannot do), it now becomes of model of life which puts on display the eternal life now in us. It now offers us a picture of the beautiful, wise life God has implanted in us through His Spirit, and as we now seek to order our lives by that model we find that we are really living. We find that there is so much joy in following the wise way of the Word of God.
Has the Law / God's Word brought life to you? Has it first brought you to see your sinfulness and absolute need of Christ? If so, is the Law now spurring you on to order you life in a way that will put on display the wonders of the eternal life to which you now possess? Pursue the Word - it is life to you!