Are you living an abundant life?
It's a challenging question. The older I get, the more I think about this.
Jesus said, "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 (NIV)
I used to love Ring Dings. There was a time when I could eat an entire box. All that would be left when I got done was a pile of tin foil balls they came wrapped in.
I could buy them at any store. They were cheap and required no preparation. Just unwrap and eat! Quick and easy.
Then one day I decided to bake a cake. Just a box cake, nothing too fancy. But it did take time to mix the ingredients and to bake it. Then it took even more time for it to cool before I could add frosting and eat it.
It was very good! But it was not quick and easy.
When I compared the Ring Dings to the cake, however the Ring Dings tasted cheap. I decided to stop eating them, they lost their flavor to me.
Life is like that. We can watch TV or play a video game, maybe surf the web and live far too much of our days in front of a screen. To live life that way is quick and easy.
But is that the abundant life we are promised from the Lord? Is there a need for the thief to come and steal, or have we already given it up?
To live an abundant life takes more effort, and sometimes we have to wait a little to reap the benefits of our work. But in the end the flavor of life is far better when we choose to really live it.
