Life at its Fullest

Chuckle: A child's statement about the Bible: "Adam and Eve were created from an apple tree. Noah's wife was Joan of Ark. Noah built and Ark and the animals came on in pears."

Good Quote: Thou shalt ever (have) joy at eventide if you spend the day fruitfully." --Thomas a Kempis; "The Imitation of Christ."

Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it (abundantly) to the full” (John 10:10 NIV).

We live in a society obsessed with achieving success, but not necessarily with God's definition of success. I think many people are not winners but losers at the most basic art of all, the art of living. They may succeed in other things but not in living. They don't know how to have life in all its fullness. We need to learn how to live life as God would have us live it. God teaches us to live from the inside out. The condition of the heart determines the way one lives.

Today, some are just surviving -- existing -- making it -- one day to the next -- with no long-term purpose for life. They may be young or old, working or retired, but have no purpose/goals that will make a difference in their lives and the lives of others. The only thing some of us really throw ourselves into is our beds at night -- exhausted, but without having done anything that really matters to God.

Alice, in "Alice in Wonderland," said to Chesser Cat, "can you tell me which way I ought to go from here?" The cat said, "that depends on where you want to get to." Alice said, "I just don't much care." The cat said, "then it doesn't matter which way you go." If you don't have a purpose, you're just surviving.

Still others do a little better than survive by achieving what they call "success," but without real satisfaction and fulfillment. You may have possessions, power, prestige, and in the eyes of the world you may have "made it." You can be called "successful" by the standards of our society. However, for many, the American dream has become the American nightmare filled with unhappiness and emptiness. They don't feel their lives are really counting -- something's missing for real fulfillment and happiness.

Someone said that seeking success by the world's standards is like chasing the wind. You never can catch it. But, if we Christians aren't careful, we find ourselves measuring our success in life by worldly standards rather than the standards God has set for us. When we became Christians, we became God's new creation in Christ. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV).

Also, we see a definite plan for what we should do, and this plan was formed in the mind of God even before we became Christians. "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" ("Ephesians 2:10 NIV). Life at the highest level (fullest) comes from living according to God's plan for our lives, not ours.

Love, Jerry & Dotse