It’s the most amazing discovery I’ve ever made.
God is more interested in a relationship with me than I am with him. Thus, he is always at work actively keeping me in relationship with himself. Abundant living, then, is really about discovering and responding to the initiative, movements and on-going activity of God in my life. That means the abundant life Jesus talked about has nothing to do with following the rules or polishing up on my behavior. It’s not about “trying harder.” It has not so much to with achieving a life as it is receiving the life Jesus died to give me. Understanding this makes all the difference. When it’s up to me to make the Christian life “work” I become more concerned about external acts of worship, mastering principles, and racking up “brownie” points and I drift further and further from what God is doing.
If life is up to us, striving and frustration will be our constant companion. Trying to maintain control and not let life slip through our fingers will haunt us all our days. But once we realize it’s God’s nature to seek us and draw us to himself, all of life becomes an adventure filled with wonder and mystery. We learn to live with eyes wide open to a creative, loving God…and all we can be is thankful.
Gail Johnsen 