We have been given life.
It required nothing on our part but to take that first breath of air. Our heart beats on its own; our brain works overtime whether we want it to or not; and our bodies grow and mature all by themselves.
We have been given eternal life. It required nothing on our part but to pray a simple prayer of surrender to Jesus. Our spirit is now alive, the Holy Spirit works overtime helping us grow in our faith; and we are part of the body of Christ, the church, whether we choose to associate with it or not.
Abundant life is a whole other animal. It is what Jesus wants to give us, but it will require a surrender of everything that we call “mine.”
There are few takers for this offer. People know subconsciously that the life of Christ requires suffering, and only the brave, the desperate, and the determined will sign up for this adventure. It might be compared to bungee jumping and sky diving; it requires an acquired taste for freedom and exhilaration.
As long as we are alive, the offer stands. Jesus stands ready with his arms open wide to impart to us his nature, his vision, and his power. He patiently waits until we are desperate enough to cast out on the sea of life with only our faith as a life preserver. He is much more patient and long suffering than we are; he has plenty to keep him busy while we make up our minds what to do with this brief life of ours.
May we choose to invest our days wisely, for eternity is a long time to live with the choices that we make in our brief 70 or 80 years here.
~ Brad Heilhecker
Restored People Community 