When I think back to my childhood, those thoughts are filled with many wonderful moments. Yes, there were some experiences that weren’t all that pleasant, but for the most part my early years were filled with loving enjoyable recollections.
With maturation, we soon realize that life becomes more difficult, and we all have more and more challenging circumstances that often cause us to perhaps not truly love every aspect of life.
We would be wise to get over those negative thoughts and focus on learning to live and love life.
How are you doing these days? Can you relate to this possibly unfamiliar concept during these trying times? Human life was purposed as a beautiful creation.
Listen to these words found in Genesis 1:27: “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
You see, we are created in His image, an exceptional creation, quite unique from all the species of animals that were first created by God. We have a distinct purpose and our Creator wants each person to experience an abundant life.
What does this abundant life look like? Well, let me share my personal experience.
My life is filled with daily opportunities to experience God at work around me in the lives of those He places in my path. As a businessman, I meet with people frequently and cherish all acquaintances, even the more challenging ones.
That’s right, not all encounters are pleasant, but they all have a place in our life journey. These days, I find people quite intriguing and worth any potential risk encountered.
Life is precious. Every breath we take is a gift from God.
When I came out of the COVID-19 intensive-care unit at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital the day after my 77th birthday, I thanked my Heavenly Father for giving me a new lease on life.
We should cherish every day and do our best to use our time as wisely as we can.
For more than 30 years I’ve started my mornings with Oswald Chambers’ daily devotional, My Utmost for His Highest. Those mini-sermons written early in the 20th century have jump-started each day for many followers of Christ for the past 100 years.
God has blessed me immensely with a career that allows me to remain active way past what the world considers normal retirement age. He has also gifted me with the ability to write and convey my thoughts to a growing audience on a weekly basis.
And, He’s even occasionally allowed me access to a much larger platform through CBMC International’s Monday Manna devotional for appropriate essays to be shared in 20 languages around the world. I’m humbled by the way He has used this simple servant in recent years.
Let me share that I would be just as delighted with life, if all I could do is simply share the joy of knowing Christ with those who are unconvinced once in a while.
It seems appropriate to share the words the Apostle Paul exhorted to the Church in Philippi sharing his expectations of life in Philippians 1:21-24. These words show his passion for serving Christ and set the bar for all who follow our Savior and Lord:
“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.”
Yes, I am prepared to meet my Maker, but I’m also looking forward to many more years serving Christ here on this earth, if that’s the Lord’s will. To God be all the glory and honor!
Passages to Ponder
— Jim Langley has been writing for more than 30 years while working as a life and health insurance agent in Santa Barbara. In recent years, his passion has turned to writing about his personal relationship with God, and his goal is to encourage others to draw near to Him as well. As a longtime member of CBMC of Santa Barbara (Christian Business Men’s Connection), he started writing Fourth Quarter Strategies columns in 2014, and he now reaches an international audience through the CBMC International devotional Monday Manna. He can be contacted at jim@fourthquarterstrategies.com for more information. Click here for previous columns. The opinions expressed are his own.