“I have come that they may have life,
and have it to the full”
I’ve heard few words with the strength and the weight of the ones expressed by Jesus when describing the purpose of his coming.
But I even feel that I have to go back and read them again... and again. “Life to the full”. What does that even mean? The amplified version of the Bible says “I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]”. Peterson writes, in the Message translation, “more and better life than they ever dreamed of”.
Whoa! Really? Is this what Jesus is after? Is that his offer to us?
DOUBTFUL & SKEPTICAL
Although today I find Jesus' words absolutely enticing, I have to confess that for most of my life my reaction was doubtful at best. For many decades I never experienced anything close to life to the full. Even years after becoming a believer all I could see in my life was anguish, fear, shame, anger, oppression, brokenness, addiction. “Life to the full? I’m just trying to survive here!”.
And when listening to those words coming from the pulpit, my reaction was often skeptical; “Hmm... really?” It sounded like the perfect setup for the guy preaching to ask for something - money, volunteer time, signing up for a program.
Looking beyond the pulpit into the lives of those who typically shared those words didn’t help either. I almost never saw major evidence of Jesus’ offer having been fulfilled in their lives. “Does his life show any signs that he is living an abundant life? More and better life than he ever dreamed of? How would his spouse and kids describe their experience of his life?”. Although most of those men are actually good men with good intentions, the answer to the question was almost always an honest but sober NO.
Thankfully, I have later come to understand how this spoke more of the men in question and their place in their own journey, than of God’s ability or willingness to fulfill his promise.
THERE ARE A FEW
I say that the answer was NO almost always, because there are actually a handful of men and women with whom God has blessed me along the journey, whose lives reflect something more. There are a few wild ones whose hearts have come fully alive, who walk intimately with God, whose experience of Jesus goes way beyond a Sunday service and beyond their earthly circumstances. There are a few who know their place in God’s story, who walk as true sons and daughters of the King, who fight for their own hearts, for their families and their communities.
These few men and women have shown me that Jesus’ offer is real, that abundant life is in fact available. They have lead me to taste and to see that the life that he offers is, just like Peterson translates, more and better than I could ever have dreamed of. I will forever be grateful for those brave hearts who have courageously fought for my heart.
ABUNDANT LIFE IS AVAILABLE
Abundant life; life to the full is real. It is available. It is available to you, in him, if you want it. Regardless of where you are in your walk with God, there is more, there is much more.
Would you dare to believe that this is at hand? That the promise that Jesus speaks of can come true in your life? That Jesus is inviting you today to find more of the life that you long for, in him?
ADVENT: THE ANTICIPATION OF HIS PROMISES FULFILLED
Today we celebrate the first day of advent. The anticipation of the coming of Jesus. The anticipation of the promises of God to be fulfilled.
As we begin this season, I want to invite you to believe with me, that this can also be the beginning of a new season for us, for you.
“Advent is the anticipation of the
promises of God to be fulfilled”
I am inviting you stand at the trailhead with me and join me on a journey to the frontier, to new uncharted territories, to places of more intimacy with God and with the ones you love, a journey toward more glory and adventure, more healing and deliverance, more restoration and transformation, more joy and laughter; a journey toward “real and eternal life, more and better life than what we have ever dreamed of".
What could this mean for you? What would it look like for you to say yes to Jesus’ invitation and take one bold step into adventure? How can you prepare your heart in this season of advent to be in anticipation of his promises to be fulfilled in your life? Would you be willing to take your deepest desires, your longing for more life to him, and trust him with the outcomes?
ALIGNING MY HEART WITH JESUS
For me, the journey begins with aligning my heart with Jesus, letting go of the many ways in which I have attempted to find this abundant life outside of God, bringing my longings and desires to him, and allowing my heart to come in anticipation of the fulfillment of his promises for me.
In future posts I will attempt to share more of what my journey has been so far and more of what those amazing few have taught me along the way. For now, I offer a prayer in hopes that perhaps it may help align your heart with his in this season too.
Jesus, I come before you on this first day of advent to align my heart with yours. I align my heart with your desires, with your heart for me. I come to allow my heart to be expectant. I come in anticipation of your coming, in anticipation of seeing your promises over my life fulfilled.
I repent of the many ways in which I have settled for less, the many ways in which I have settled for a life of small comforts that distract me from what my heart really desires, in order not to be disappointed. I repent from the ways in which I have doubted that your promises are true, the times when I have believed the life that you offer, although attractive “on paper”, is not really available to me.
I confess that I do want more, that I want abundant life and that there are countless moments in which I have searched for that life in places other than you. I repent from going to those places, Jesus, and I come running to your arms today. I come to give you the fullness of my heart, I give you my desire for abundant life.
I announce that the life that I long for can only be found in you. And I answer your invitation today saying Yes, Jesus, I want to believe you, I want to believe that you have come that I may have life abundantly, more and better life than I can ever dream of. Would you heal my unbelief? I invite you to come into all the places in my heart where I have doubts, where I still believe the messages of disappointment and heartbreak. I come to ask you to lead me into the life that you offer.
I stand at the trailhead today and I ask that you would lead me on this journey. Jesus, I bring before you my heart with all its desires, the longing to see more of you in more of me, to see you restoring more and more of heart and my life, to see you restoring my wife, my marriage. I give you the desire to see my family living in the fullness of your presence, overflowing with joy. I give you my desire to see more lives restored, more hearts awaken, more and more of us having more life, and having it abundantly. Jesus, today I come in full expectation of your promises to be fulfilled in my life. Amen.