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"For in him we live and move and have our being..."
Acts 17:28
Science tells us that there are four basic elements to life: The air that sustains us, fire that warms us, water that hydrates us, and the earth that provides for us. Each of these is sustainable elements that we depend upon on a daily basis. But in the realm of our Christian experience there are also sustainable elements that we need to discover that will help us live a fruitful and meaningful life. Once we find them, we must endeavor to draw from them. We must make every effort to utilize them and build from them.
Feeding on the Word, of course, is one of the most essential elements. This would be comparable to the air we breathe. There is nothing as important in our walk with God as breathing in the life of heaven. Paul wrote in his letter to Timothy, "For all scripture is given by inspiration of God..." (2 Tim.3:16). Literally, this should read, "For all scripture is God breathed." This is exactly what Jesus meant when he said, "For man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4). The life that is in the Word is sustainable to us. It inspires us. It quickens us. It influences us with heavens plans and purposes. We cannot maintain our spiritual life ignoring our need for the Word, anymore than we could ignore breathing.
Another essential element is walking in love. Of all the things that Jesus taught us, the one commandment that he required, above everything else, was making love our aim. Love is that passion, that energy that helps motivate us to carry out the will of God. Without it, we become misguided and misdirected in life. That's the danger of us stepping out of love. We lose our sense of purpose. We aimlessly live for ourselves instead of living for God. Love must become the fire that burns within us, that empowers us to go the distance, that gives us hope when we are hopeless, that gives us strength when we are at our weakest. Paul said, "Make love your aim, your great quest..." 1 Cor. 14:1 - Amplified).
Another element that is much needed in every one of us is our heavenly prayer life. How necessary it is for our spirits to be hydrated through prayer. When a Christian loses his thirst for prayer, his walk with God becomes dry. He loses the fluency of interacting with heaven. Everything around him becomes affected by it. It's like a plane being grounded. It's like a ship stuck at port, or us trying to fly a kite when the air is still and motionless. Without water, the body cannot survive. Without prayer, we lose the vigor and vitality of spiritual life. It is a known fact that water is by far the most important nutrient for the human body (besides oxygen). You may be able to go some time without food, but your body will begin to break down after just one day without taking in any fluids. How much truer is this in our relationship with God!
Lastly, we find one of the most important elements of all and that is, being you. We often use the terms, "being true to ourselves." There is nothing more disheartening than to meet a superficial person-someone who is disingenuous. Everything about their life is fabricated, because they can't quite find it within themselves to be who they are. How much money is spent on programs and clinics each year teaching on self-esteem, learning how to improve one's inner self? The truth of the matter is, you are a new creature in Christ and you need to discover your identity in him. When you think about it, being grounded and having a true understanding of your union with Christ is your truest provision. That is what is sustainable. All throughout the New Testament there are statements made that remind us of the importance of building on the right foundation, of being rooted and grounded-or being rooted and built up in him!
These are the elements that we must learn to thrive in. Each day we should take inventory of how well we are tending to the elements of spending time in God's Word, walking in love, being prayerful, and having a sound mind concerning who we are in Christ. If we will learn to thrive in these areas, not only will we see a purposeful life, but we will see a productive one as well. |
