On November 26, 1977 I was given a wonderful gift by God, my wife Jan. Those early years of marriage we felt we were living ‘the abundant life’. But on August 17, 1981 I was given the greatest gift, this gift was priceless in nature. It was far greater than a promise to “go to heaven”. This gift was a precious intimate relationship with another person, the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. On that day at the side of my Savior, I started to experience “the abundant life”. Have you been there?

Of course like all human beings I have traded, at times, this abundant life for its phony imposter, leaving the side of the Savior to pursue a relationship with the world and its goods. Have you been there?

I thank the Lord for His goodness and His wonderful works to the children of men, because Christ has always sought me out and drawn me back to His bleeding side. This morning my desire is to challenge you and to challenge myself to stay in the position that allows us to enjoy “the abundant life” which John speaks about in his gospel.