LIFE TO THE FULLEST
Jesus doesn’t just save us from death—He calls us to abundant life.The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full | John 10:10 |“You can open one present, but you have to wait for the rest until tomorrow morning.”
“Oh man, well can I pick which one?”
The answer to that question was always “no.” The present for that evening was predetermined. It took a few years to catch on that the “one” gift we got to open each Christmas Eve was always the same. Inside that wrapped box contained the dreaded, matching, family pajamas! The type of festive pj’s that would be worn maybe once a year. Honestly, as a child, this Christmas Eve conversation above brought a gift that didn’t appease what I hoped to see inside that box. Looking back now it certainly has made rewatching of Christmas videos more comical now! But for a child who counted down the days until the 25th, the pajamas always left me unsatisfied and longing even more for what awaited the following morning.
How many of you have experienced these holiday letdowns? As we get older the circumstances surrounding our unsatisfied moments become are more serious than receiving Christmas pajamas. We all have seen this pattern play out. Time and again, we want to obtain what our hearts desire. We often aspire to have the best of what we’ve seen in this world for ourselves. So, we eagerly anticipate a day that will ultimately bring us something we’ve longed to receive…only to obtain it and remain unfulfilled. When that occurs don’t you feel disappointed and unhappy. The thing that should have brought you joy, made your life better, maybe even propped you up to a new level in life, once acquired, leaves you depressed and discontent.
This reality, played out in our lives, is in line with the disgruntled trap set by God’s enemy, and the holidays seem to be a time we are targeted in this way. John 10:10, “10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” The temptation of the enemy this time of year is to place our lives against the measuring stick of what we’ve obtained, who we have around us, and to focus on what is absent. When our minds are set on those things it steals our joy, kills the peace and destroys our ability to celebrate the truth.
So, the reminder of this day is to know that there is a gift being given to you this Christmas Season. A gift meant to give you the most satisfying and fulfilled life. God gave us the gift of Jesus so we all can receive the best life possible: a life fulfilled! May you spend time today thanking Jesus for the relationship we have with Him! Through Jesus we get all of God’s best, an abundant, wonderful life!
