by Gary Meyer

 

Shortly after I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior, while reading God’s Word I came upon an incredible verse of Scripture: “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10, NKJV).

 

I began to realize that Jesus promised us an abundant life. Sounds great! . . . but what is it? What is the abundant life? Is it the promise of something to come or is it in the present?

 

In his book, The Rhythm of Life, author Matthew Kelly discusses many aspects of the chaotic lifestyles we find in our world today. He starts from the basic premise that we are too busy, and then takes us on a journey deep within ourselves to discover why we cling to hectic schedules, why we avoid silence, and how we can create a lifestyle that alleviates the restlessness that plagues our hearts. One of the greatest failings as human beings is our inability to be present in our own lives. It may sound absurd, but it is true. How often do you find yourself in the company of a person—even in the middle of a conversation with that person—and yet thinking about other people and places? Distractions rob us of our lives. The past is history. The future is a mirage. The past was the present; the future will be the present. The only reality is NOW! And God has given us this time for us to live.

 

Each activity in our lives has its own priority. Every day we make choices based on the value system that we live by. Before becoming a Christian, my value system was different than after I began to seriously follow Jesus. Christ made me a new person from within.

 

Gloria Gaither wrote the words to a poem entitled, “We Have This Moment, Today.” Her husband Bill put the words to music and here are some of the words:

 

“Hold tight to the sounds of the music of living,

Happy songs from the laughter of children at play;

Hold my hand as we run through the sweet fragrant meadows,

Making memories of what was today.

 

Tiny voice that I hear is my little girl calling,

For Daddy to hear just what she has to say;

And my little son running there by the hillside

May never be quite like today.

 

We have this moment to hold in our hands,

And to touch as it slips through our fingers like sand;

Yesterday’s gone and tomorrow may never come,

But we have this moment today.”

© 1975, Bill and Gloria Gaither

 

The Abundant Life Is a Journey

Life is a journey. Whether you are setting out to become a legend, a hero, a champion, a star, a leader, or a saint—enjoy the journey. If you do not enjoy life, you will be no good to anybody. The destination, the victory, the achievement—these only last a moment—and then they fade like morning dew from the grass into little more than pleasant memories. The Abundant Life Jesus spoke of is to be found in the journey, not the destination.

 

As we seek to find and follow the will of God for our lives, we often grow frustrated because we may not see the destination. Sometimes we try to experience the abundant life by looking to some great challenge or achievement. But the reality is that we can know and follow God’s will for us by taking small day-by-day steps. The adage, “Inch by inch, it’s a cinch,” applies to God’s will.

 

Robert Hastings penned these words in his poem, “The Station”:

“It isn’t the burdens of today that drive men mad. It is the regrets over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today. So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, go barefoot more often, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more, cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. The station will come soon enough.”

 

Be a Difference Maker

Living an abundant life involves making a positive difference in the lives of others. There is no greater satisfaction than laying your head on your pillow at night and knowing you have touched another person’s life, made their burden lighter, taught them some infinite wisdom, made them laugh, allowed them to cry on your shoulder, or lent them an understanding ear. You MADE A DIFFERENCE!

 

God is a giver, and so we must be also. I have experienced that there is no faster, surer way to share in the abundant life and infinite joy of God than to give—give of your time, give of your talents, give of your resources to make a difference in other people’s lives. When you give to assist in someone else’s need, you learn very quickly that the satisfaction of giving is greater than the satisfaction of having. This is the way of God. Some people never try to make a difference because they doubt whether they can. Some people fear trying because they don’t want to fail. Some people start to make a difference but compare the good they are doing with all the evil they can imagine in the world, and they become disabled by discouragement.

 

After years of growing and following God’s lead, I have enjoyed this abundant life journey. I wish I could tell you it has been all good. But, since 1968 when my life changed and I invited Jesus Christ to be my Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit has been with me all the way through life’s experiences—through both the mountaintops and the valleys.

 

I encourage you to resist the temptation to say, “I am just one person, what can one person do?” Instead say, “I am one person, and I can do what I can do. God can do the rest.” President Theodore Roosevelt offered a starting point for people as they faced insurmountable challenges, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”

 

The good we do is never lost, it never dies . . . in other people, in other places, in other times—the good we do lives on forever. Choose to be a difference maker—in your home, at your work, and most of all, in your church! Our guest speaker at Christ’s Church last Sunday, Steve Reeves, spoke about how we can walk in humility in each of these areas of our lives. If you missed that teaching, you can check it out here.

 

Decide today to be the difference as you live the abundant life each day. Remember, “We Have This Moment, Today.”

Gary Meyer has been married to his high-school sweetheart, Judy, for 57 years, and they have three children, ten grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren (with one more on the way). Gary retired from General Electric after a 40-year career in computer science at the GE Aircraft Engine business in Cincinnati, Ohio. He says everything changed for him when he moved from being a “Jesus admirer” to a “full-time follower” of Jesus.