Living Life to the Maximum
I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. – John 10:10
A Veteran mountain climber was sharing his experiences with a group of novices preparing for their first major climb. He had conquered many of the world¡¯s most difficult peaks, so he was qualified to give them some advice. ¡°Remember this,¡± he said, ¡°your goal is to experience the exhilaration of the climb and the joy of reaching¡¦. the peak. Each step draws you closer to the top. If your purpose for climbing is just to avoid death, your experience will be minimal.¡±
I think he challenged the novices for the mountain climb; So many people are giving up in reaching the peak with their fear of death. In order for the novice to experience the exhilaration of the climb, he or she has to challenge the mountain climb by overcoming fear. If they think of the joy of reaching the peak, they would be able to endure and overcome the fear of the climb.
I see an application to the Christian¡¯s experience. Jesus did not call us to live the Christian life just to escape hell. It¡¯s not to be a life of minimum joy and fulfillment, but a life that is full and overflowing. Our purpose in following Christ should not be merely to avoid eternal punishment, if that¡¯s our primary motivation; we are missing the wonders, joys and victories of climbing higher and higher with Jesus.
But a sad thing is that so many people are not experiencing the Joy of the Lord that God has designed from the beginning. As we read, God has given us eternal life as well as the abundant life once we became a true born again Christian. However so many Christians are misunderstanding about the Christian life by focusing on future matters for the Kingdom of God.
The Kingdom of God is the sovereign God¡¯s Reign and His Power in the present time in the here and now in the midst of our lives. Once we became a Christian, we were to enjoy God¡¯s abundant blessing in His presence and God¡¯s peace in the present time.
The Blessing God has promised is the present reality for those who are seeking for the Kingdom of God.
The Lord promised us ¡°life . . . more abundantly¡± (John 10:10). We cannot experience a full and abundant life if we are living in fear. When we walk by faith, we will see each day of the Christian life as a challenge to be met and as one more upward step to glory!
I pray that all of you may discover the joy of the Lord by seeking for His Kingdom and have the abundant life here and now. And take an adventure by seeking for the Kingdom values in your life.