Believe this for yourself? Are you ‘worth’ it? Spock wasn’t the first one to use this phrase. Remember the words of Jesus in John: He begins in 10:7 by describing Himself as the Good Shepherd and telling us that He is the door and those who enter by Him will be saved. Next He contrast this to what the devil does and ends verse 10:
“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it
more abundantly.”
The ‘they’ is us. He came that WE might have life more abundantly!This is a statement that tells us that we can live long and prosper. However, we do need a definition. Prosper? Abundance? Terrific words – yes? Not really a question. We all begin to smile when we experience them. But… what are they? Is this only financial or material? Do we recognize it when we ‘have’ it? And when we do ‘ have it’, what do we Do with it? How do you define – prosper, abundance?
A different question is: is ‘abundant’ internal or external… or both? Perhaps it’s in the eye of the person? I would suggest that it is even more than we imagine. But our focus shouldn’t just be on those two words… isn’t ‘living’ the point? The Lord shared an incredible, deep yet simple understanding with me in the early hours of the morning. Being one’s best is part of the answer.. How we Be and Do in our day defines, describes – demonstrates our best you/me. And when we our best then we are experiencing abundance.
But on our own or by our own hand we can live abundantly? I don’t think so. John 15 gives us an excellent example of what we need to do in order to live the abundant life. “…abide in Me.” (v. 4) “…without Me you can do nothing.” (v. 5) Alone now that Jesus has gone to be with the Father? No.
“But when the ‘Helper’ comes, whom I shall send to you from the
Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father.” (v. 26)
“However, when He, the Spirit of truth has come, He will guide
you into all truth.” (16:13)
We were never meant to try to live long and prosper, to live a full and abundant life apart from our relationship with the Triune God. The way, the method to live a life full and fruitful is found in our life with the Lord.
These are only some of the questions, issues in living a long and prosperous life – abundantly. This begins the journey, the adventure in a discovery of who we are, how we go about being us, what’s available because we have accepted Jesus as Lord. Joy, Peace, Love, Hope are some of the companions on this path which are more than enough to make me a conqueror and live the life I was given. Living long without the Lord is a state that I would never want or choose.
