Do you live your life in the light of the cross? And actually… what does that mean?
“I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].” (John 10:10b, AMP)
“More abundantly” means to have a superabundance of a thing. “Abundant life” refers to life in its abounding fullness of joy and strength for spirit, soul and body.” (Google)
We are the ‘they’ and we are the recipients of the abundant, super abundant. Do you realize that we are designed to live in super abundance (overflowing). But… how does this thinking relate to living in light of the cross? Isn’t it counter-intuitive? Actually, I would argue that it is the manifestation. When WE know and live in the ‘…abounding fullness of joy and strength for spirit, soul and body’ we are demonstrating that our circumstances don’t dictate and determine who we are, how we go about being us, and the power of the cross that sustains us in this..
But do we even live in abundance, though it is the ‘super’ that is our inheritance?
“I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His [own] life for the sheep.” (John 10:11, AMP)
Jesus came to earth with the express intent of giving His life for all, of restoring the relationship between the Father and His creation that was severed at the fall. He lived His life in the light of the cross. There is no way we could be reunited with God, to have any place, any atonement for our sin apart from the spotless lamb that Jesus was and is. He could have chosen not to follow this path, to not lay down His life (Matthew 26:53-54). But He chose to do this for US! If He was willing to die and the horrendous death on the cross, take upon Himself all of mankind’s sins, be separated from the Father … shouldn’t we, for whom He purchased this restoration, walk in the confidence of His act?
Living life to the fullest (individually defined) has to be part of living in the light of the cross. What does this mean For you? Are you putting off ‘fullest’ for a more convenient time… maybe after you retire? Or maybe it’s after you have saved sufficient assets to fund your ‘fullest’? But why? Perhaps it’s our definitions? And our understandings? Have you seriously considered living in light of the cross and what was purchased for you?
Do you even know what ‘fullest’ means for you? Is it impossible (or unthinking) to live in your fullest.. now? To repeat, I would argue that living life to the fullest is part of living life in light of the cross. It is part of our new inheritance in the Lord but not all of it is when we get to heaven. We should be living this way now. It’s all in our perspective, our definitions
“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart [your wishes, your desires; that on which your life centers] will be also.” (Matthew 6:20-21, AMP)
