Passion for Life

  

I wanted the abundant life that Jesus speaks of in John 10:10. The one He died for had to be far better than the one I was living. I was stuck in a life of isolation, yearning for His life of celebration. I wanted to live! Yet, I was afraid of my own shadow and even more fearful of others. This could not be what He had planned, living a life merely waiting for it to end. No, this is not our home but are we supposed to dread, even be miserable, every day until He calls us home? No, that can’t be. That wasn’t the God I believed He was. So, I cried out, “There has to be more!” And child of God, there is! Glory to God, thirteen years later He is still answering that question with a resounding “YES!”

Life here is supposed to be fun even in the mist of trials. And yes, there will be tears this side of Heaven, but as James said, “count it all joy.” But how could that be? I heard people say it was possible. To be honest, I was a skeptic, until I read in Romans that God shows no favoritism. If that was the case, then that meant I could have it too.

 As I drew near, He began to show me my misconception of what joy is. I thought joy meant always being happy and when I didn’t feel that way, I felt guilty and condemned. Strong’s Concordance defines joy, translated from the Greek word, chara, in John 15:11, as a “calm delight.” Ahhh, just the sound of that is relaxing. From someone who thought you had to always be doing, what a relief it was to learn that our joy is in Him and that it isn’t jumping off the ceiling, but calmness.

Don’t let my smile fool you. I had had become the queen of wearing a mask, but now it is for real. How? Because of Jesus. He died so that we may live. Even better, He rose again so that He could live life with us.

Oh, dear friend, as your eyes meet these words, I pray that if you are not already, then you will become sold out, totally in love with Jesus. When He knocks, answer. Let Him open up this whole new world for you. It will be the best decision you will ever make, not only for eternity but every day. His companionship is better than your favorite dessert or the most exciting roller coaster ride you can imagine. He is fun, loving, and a real hoot. The more you get to know Him, the more abundant life becomes. Don’t wait until Heaven to experience what you can have today. Now that I have tapped into this abundant life, I want everyone to drink from it too. Oh, let me shout it from the roof tops, “Life is meant to be lived!”