“Have life and have it abundantly”.
Words of Jesus on the eternal life he came to give (John chapter 10 verse 10, the Bible). We are commanded, enabled, equipped, and instructed by God to have life and have it abundantly. He ordered history itself, then sent his Son who came to die a horrific death in order to make this abundant life possible, and then sent his Spirit to spread the message to literally every part of the World. God in all his ineffable Trinity is serious about this. Seems that God is passionately concerned that we have life and have it abundantly. “Abundantly”: Meaning beyond, superabundant in quantity or superior in quality, by implication excessive, preeminent, exceeding, very high, beyond measure, more, superfluous, even vehement. Big words. Does my life match up? I’m still trying to figure this all out. Work it out in real life, and not just Greek dictionaries.
Understandable that our Creator, having made time and space with such capacity for wonder and richness of life, should be concerned that we don’t waste life. But to pursue our joy with such a passion. There’s more at stake. God’s creation is made to show his greatness, show his “Abundance”, his “Beyond-ness”. God is ultimately and uniquely Abundant and Beyond. That’s what Glory and Holy mean.
Make the connection. An abundant life is a life with, in, toward God. A life Beyond is a life with God, and frankly nothing to do with 4x4’s. To quote Jesus again “this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John ch17 v3).
So what to do? The Creator who made the capability for an abundant life knows how it’s achieved. First and foremost one needs Jesus, his life and death and resurrection, to correct our hearts and get us into a working relationship with God. This means passing over control. And so it begins. Fundamentally an abundant life is self-less-ness. It begins by accepting that God is God and I’m not. Then it works through to all relationships as one learns, in humility, to “count others more significant than yourself” (Philippians 2:3).
I’m rambling, but the point is that the potential in the Christian life excites me.
That life is worth it. It matters.
That a holiday can be more than a break from work. A holiday can be a significant and valuable time.
That real satisfaction is in selflessness. Test that. What is the most satisfying thing you’ve ever done?
I guess the trip to India, getting to the point, comes in part from that. An opportunity to straighten my shirt, look out into God's universe which is so much greater than I, and say “engage”…
Words of Jesus on the eternal life he came to give (John chapter 10 verse 10, the Bible). We are commanded, enabled, equipped, and instructed by God to have life and have it abundantly. He ordered history itself, then sent his Son who came to die a horrific death in order to make this abundant life possible, and then sent his Spirit to spread the message to literally every part of the World. God in all his ineffable Trinity is serious about this. Seems that God is passionately concerned that we have life and have it abundantly. “Abundantly”: Meaning beyond, superabundant in quantity or superior in quality, by implication excessive, preeminent, exceeding, very high, beyond measure, more, superfluous, even vehement. Big words. Does my life match up? I’m still trying to figure this all out. Work it out in real life, and not just Greek dictionaries.
Understandable that our Creator, having made time and space with such capacity for wonder and richness of life, should be concerned that we don’t waste life. But to pursue our joy with such a passion. There’s more at stake. God’s creation is made to show his greatness, show his “Abundance”, his “Beyond-ness”. God is ultimately and uniquely Abundant and Beyond. That’s what Glory and Holy mean.
Make the connection. An abundant life is a life with, in, toward God. A life Beyond is a life with God, and frankly nothing to do with 4x4’s. To quote Jesus again “this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John ch17 v3).
So what to do? The Creator who made the capability for an abundant life knows how it’s achieved. First and foremost one needs Jesus, his life and death and resurrection, to correct our hearts and get us into a working relationship with God. This means passing over control. And so it begins. Fundamentally an abundant life is self-less-ness. It begins by accepting that God is God and I’m not. Then it works through to all relationships as one learns, in humility, to “count others more significant than yourself” (Philippians 2:3).
I’m rambling, but the point is that the potential in the Christian life excites me.
That life is worth it. It matters.
That a holiday can be more than a break from work. A holiday can be a significant and valuable time.
That real satisfaction is in selflessness. Test that. What is the most satisfying thing you’ve ever done?
I guess the trip to India, getting to the point, comes in part from that. An opportunity to straighten my shirt, look out into God's universe which is so much greater than I, and say “engage”…
as it were.
I hope to learn something of this from those in Kolkata. I suspect they’re more practiced in the art than I.
I hope to learn something of this from those in Kolkata. I suspect they’re more practiced in the art than I.
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