To Be...Experiencing Abundant Life

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June 1

Are we experiencing all the gusto God intends for us to partake of in this earthly life or are we allowing the enemy to rob our joy?

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."  John 10:10

Wikipedia secularly defines abundant life this way: "Abundant life refers to life in its abounding fullness of joy and strength for mind, body, and soul.  Abundant life signifies a contrast to the feelings of lack, emptiness, and dissatisfaction, and such feelings may motivate a person to seek for the meaning of life and change their life."  

I have several friends whose happy place is being on African missions.  They say the people they serve there live in such sparse communities, yet they live with a much more abundant joy than we do.

So what did Jesus mean when He promised us abundant life?

The word abundant in Greek is perissos and means "exceedingly, very highly, beyond measure, more superfluous, a quality so abundant as to be considerably more than what one would expect or anticipate."  Now that's exciting.
Jesus puts it this way in 1 Corinthians 2:9:
No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived 
what God has prepared for those who love him."

We receive abundant life when we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior!  It's an immediate perk that last throughout eternity!  Abundant life is spiritual abundance, not material or physical.  Remember Solomon had it all when it came to material blessings, but he found all that meaningless.  (Ecclesiastes 5:10-15)  And Paul exhibited contentment is some awful physical conditions.  (Philippians 4:11-12)

The abundant life is all about Jesus and it's a continual process of learning and maturing. Whew, I've been immature the past couple weeks.  Sitting in a gravel driveway, weeding and pruning under a row of azalea bushes Wednesday, I was starting to grumble.  A list of names of friends and family, who I bet have never weeded anything, came to mind and resentment wanted to snag me. The snake a girlfriend found on her bush earlier this week crossed my mind as well. Fear was trying to wiggle in. Tired fingers and bones were an open door for a pity party to pour forth. Then I called on the Spirit and I switched gears remembering how God has called my husband and me to this place and we are blessed to serve Him here.  Winter will come and the weeds will go away!  Most people who come here for a respite, probably don't see the weeds, the rust, the broken pieces, because they are looking for abundant life in Jesus!  May I remember to point them to Him, not point out how much work Shiloh takes.

Yup, always maturing!

Cheers to abundant living with Jesus forever!


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