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05.25.15

Psalm 25.4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. – David

Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10.10) Notice: the thief is one who is described as the one who comes; Jesus states. “I came”. Jesus is a done deal in the sense that all we ever need from Him in this life, we have, all because He came. Jesus is the beachhead for the recapture and restoration of His Kingdom here on earth where man and the thief in evil cooperation, traded it all away.

Where many falter in the deeds that have been done, and the way things are and have been since any of us can remember, is that we have this mindset that because Jesus did what He did things ought to be better than they are. War and strife should be done. Hatred and animosity should be finished. Death, destruction, disease should cease. But that is not what He said.

Call this life a proving ground. Call this life an existence where we were allowed to be created and live as a means in which we reconnect with the Living God according to His terms. As marvelous as the Garden was; it is no comparison to what Jesus Christ did, is doing, and will do. Many recognize their shortcomings and weakness not ever realizing that the Solution to all of this perceived scarcity is found in the One who said: I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Abundant life is found in Jesus Christ, and is as available to us as the air we breathe because He said, “I came…”. It’s a done deal.

Now, where I am convicted these days is how many times I ask God for what He’s already given. Jesus said I’ve come, I came, I’m here to give you life abundant. I’m here! Quit looking for Me somewhere else, and quit looking for Me to give you what I’ve already given you! Paul, it’s already taken care of…

So then, today, like King David of old, I ask, Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. When I think about life abundant I think, yeah; that’s what I want! But then a Monday shows up; or the car won’t start, or I get crossways with someone – life doesn’t seem so abundant then. Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lord, help me in the middle of x,y, or z to remember that I must remember that I must be taught to remember Your ways – I must be taught Your paths… Or I'll just keep following the same old ones that tempt me to believe either: You really don’t exist, or You really don’t care.

Life, this life, is the proving ground of whether or not I believe that I have life abundant. Lord, make me know Your ways and how they work and how I’m to overcome by knowing and using them; and Jesus, teach me Your paths: the paths of submission, humility, patience, perseverance, and peace. Lord, take me back to class today – Amen.