Abundant Life

Many people exist, but they don’t live. They are drawing their breath and fighting to survive. However, they don’t have the life they want. People are always looking for ways to get more out of life. We turn to material things—education, philosophy, or worldly success—for satisfaction. We fill our lives with family and work, hoping to find meaning. We use entertainment, shopping, drugs, or alcohol to help us escape the reality of our life. We pack our schedules with so many activities that we never have time to realize how meaningless our existence is. What makes a life worth living?

A Life of Peace

We all need peace. A peaceful heart gives life to man. It is a supernatural gift, given by God. A common notion of peace is the mere absence of fighting or strife. But it has a much deeper and richer connotation. A peaceful heart is a quiet heart—a heart of rest and inner tranquility. The world is full of restlessness. In fact, man's incessant pursuit of pleasure is a manifestation of his restless heart. Peace can be perceived in three dimensions: peace towards God, your Creator; peace within yourself; and peace with others.

Do we have peace with God? All men are sinners. Since God is holy, it is not in God’s nature to accept or have fellowship with sin. Therefore, sin caused the peace with God to be broken. God is forced out of man’s life, and in his heart, instead of God, his own 'self' has taken over. Man thinks of himself as the center of the universe and his happiness as the supreme thing. And this selfishness causes the wrong attitude towards other people. Thus, sin has destroyed or seriously affected all three dimensions of peace. Can man restore what’s been lost and broken?

“He is our peace"—these were the words of Paul, the disciple of Jesus Christ, about Him, recorded in the Bible. He further explained, “God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them." Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, was sent into the world to take away our sins by His death on the cross, therefore making it possible for us to be at peace—at peace with God, at peace within ourselves, and at peace with each other.

A Life of Freedom

Every human soul thrives for freedom. But are we truly free? There are so many things that we allow in our lives that keep us imprisoned. It may be our wealth or material possessions, our career, unhealthy relationships, alcohol, or even food. Sadly, many things we choose for our comfort and pleasure end up with us getting addicted to them, slowly making us slaves to these behaviors and leaving us feeling worse than before.

Jesus Christ said, “If I make you free, you shall be free indeed.” The freedom that Christ proclaimed was the real freedom, for it was the freedom of true life delivered from the slavery of sin and brought man into union with God.

What about the freedom from the fear of death? Death is one of the ugly realities of life, a reality which we must all face. But Christ’s victory over sin and death through His resurrection tells us that we have been delivered from the slavery of the fear of death too.

A Life of Contentment

Man is created in such a way that all the world cannot bring contentment to his soul. King Solomon, the wisest and richest king of ancient Israel, lamented, saying, “Whatever my eyes desired, I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure…And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind”. Man yearns for new sensations and new sights; he is after new experiences but is left dissatisfied. Acquiring more and more or doing more and more is not helping man in his quest for contentment and happiness.

But there is hope. God can fill that emptiness in man's heart. Nothing under the sun can fill the void in man’s life but God himself. Christ said: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." He can provide lasting satisfaction to our souls.

A Life of Hope

Why are so many people hopeless today? It’s because people are putting their hope in all the wrong things. When we put our hope in people—mighty men, friends, spouses, children, or parents—they can dash our hopes. If we put our hope in riches, they will perish. And when we put our hope in things that save our physical lives—health, our resources, or our greatest plans—they pass away like vapor.

Christ's words, "I will come again, and you shall be with Me where I am”, are His promise to us. Our only living hope is Jesus, who gave His life to save us. Jesus can serve as our dependable source of joy and the firm base on which our hope is rooted.

Life Abundant

Christ told: "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." Christ offers you an abundant life—a life of peace, freedom, contentment, and hope. May God give you the grace to receive that abundant life.

Wishing you a blessed year ahead!!