Since the Abundant Life is a gift from God, the first step, of course, is to belong to God. This is the only way to receive all the gifts He desires to give His children, we must become His child. Makes sense, right? My neighbor cannot expect me to buy a car for their child, right? I mean I can, if I have the funds and God moves my heart to do so, but to expect it? That would be foolish. If we really want Eternal Life when our time here is done, and the Abundant Life while we are still here, then we must no longer belong to MMI, and we must surrender that false identity to God and become His child. Enough said.
The second step is to leave our old ways of thinking, feeling and wanting behind. Our soul must grow to reflect the heart of God, instead of that old, MMI person we used to be. This is Sanctification, where our Salvation begins to be displayed, more and more, by the choices we make in life. For instance, we will choose to help others without having to be forced into it. This compassion will overflow from us. Another example is that we will begin to exhibit more patience towards those who normally would make us nuts. As I hope you can see, these new ways can only come from our New Life in Christ. God will help us control ourselves so that we can be loving and patient. Yes, it is a process, but the reason way too many well meaning believers do not enjoy this Abundant Life they have been given, is because they do not know they must, or just have not begun to, cooperate with God in this much needed transformation. We were doomed apart from Jesus. But even after we have Him and the Eternal Life He came to give us, we are still quite a mess. We must continually be cleansed and changed, or else we will have Life, but not be able to experience it, much less share it with others.
Jesus is our Savior to save us from sin and He is our Lord to teach and help us live this New Life by imitating His Character and following example. As our Savior, Jesus takes away the negative, and as our Lord, He adds the positive so that we can be like Him. Can you see why believing and being saved from sin is not the whole picture? We must work with God to add the good into our lives, or else we will fall back into the selfishness once again. Then we HAVE Life, but not enjoy it nor be able to share it with others. This is NOT who we should be in Christ. We are not to go from being a miserable sinner to being a miserable saint, as the saying goes. We must learn to co-operate with God…then the Abundant Life gets so very real.
2023’s Got A Minute? Book Club
January: The First & Best Book Ever: The Bible
February: Love Is In the Air: “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts” by Gary Chapman
March: Spring Growth: “Secrets of the Vine” by Bruce Wilkinson
<>< Peace, Diane
