John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave
his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but
have eternal life.
A pastor friend gave me an insight into this extremely
popular verse that I hadn’t heard before.
The word translated “perish” in this verse is the same word that would
be used to describe food that has gone bad or spoiled. When I think about it that way, the verse
reads something like, “whosoever believes in Him will not become spoiled, but
have eternal life.”
Moving to the word life, it means something specific for the
writer of John. In John chapter 1, John states this about Jesus; “in him was
life, and the life was the light of all people.” (1:4). Life for John is life with the Light. Then in John 10:10, Jesus himself says, “I
came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
Your faith in Jesus is a daily decision to foster the light
that Jesus brings to you. I have had too
many people in my office whose lives have “spoiled” because they had no or very
little faith to guide them away from danger or carry them through the difficulties
that the world throws at them. I don’t
want that for anyone. But I, nor anyone
else, can keep that from happening. Other people can only help a person’s faith
when that person is making daily decisions to walk toward the light and not the
darkness.
I want the abundant life for you. That life is a life where faith is strong and
is a daily priority.
The spiritual disciplines are the way to tend the light
daily. Not long ago, I watched a sports
documentary on Michael Jordan and the 1990’s Chicago Bulls. What has been most striking about it is that
Michael didn’t become as great as he is on native talent. His father said his older brother was the
better basketball player growing up.
Michael got cut from his high school basketball team. He became one of the greatest ever not on
natural talent but deciding to work harder than anyone else every day. He committed to discipline. By committing to
discipline, he decided not to do a hundred other things that other players were
doing.
A strong and growing faith is a daily decision to do
light-tending. What does that look like
for you?
Prayer: God, help us
see the ways that we can keep faith in you a priority. It’s hard. We need your wisdom and guidance.
Amen.
Prayer Focus: Pray
for people who once had a strong faith, but their faith is perishing right now.
Casting Crowns – God of All My Days
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