I choose life - and more

"Would I want to become a Christian like me if I was not a Christian and observed me "being" a Christian today?" Pr. Rich wrote in his morning email yesterday. It's an incredibly important and relevant question. "Would I want to become a Christian like me if I was not a Christian and observed me "being" a Christian today?"

I should hope the answer is yes, resoundingly. If not, there's something missing.

"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 - Among the things the thief loves to steal, kill, and destroy is our joy and fullness of life. And what better thing to destroy? If we don't have life, and life to the full, why should anyone want to have what (better Who) we have?

Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." And "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." (John 17:3). I read that: Life_{with Jesus} = Life_{Eternal, Full} .

If knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ is eternal life, when does eternal life start?

If by being with Him we have life that's full and eternal, can we be with Him and have life that is less that full? I don't know. Maybe by holding onto parts of our own life, the way they were before, keeping Him from filling them?

I'm picturing one of those long, skinny balloons that balloon artists use to make figures - dogs, flowers.... all of that. It comes empty, naturally. The balloon artist fills it - but if someone is holding onto the balloon, as it was before, not letting it fill and swell - well, it doesn't! It stays there, kinked.

At first, that's where I thought the analogy broke down. Because kinks are essential for balloon art. Without them, the balloon just stays straight - no sculpture. But notice - the artist always blows the balloon up first, so He can place the kinks where they need to go to fit in the sculpture. Now, if there's a kink in the balloon naturally, He can probably still use it - but He's limited, has to work around a kink He didn't want. Three or four or more kinks - we're limiting Him even more - but He's an amazing artist, and He still knows how to use us.

As easy and familiar as that empty shape felt, it's always worth the stretching of being filled.

"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life." Mk 10:29, 30

Does that say a hundred times more in the age to come?

"With them, persecutions," - but even with that in the picture, it still says we "receive a hundred times more" just in this age than we give up - not counting the next!

Life_{with Jesus} = 100 Life_{without Jesus} + Eternity