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REFLECTION

The theme for our reflection is “Abundant life in Christ – Not what you might expect!. To live an abundant life in Christ means finding fulfilment, peace and joy in Christ by making Him your Lord and Saviour and submitting your will to Him. We shall reflect on the following facts about having an abundant life in Christ.
1. Those who have an abundant life in Christ are gracious and not judgmental.
2. God caters for those who have an abundant life in Christ through prayer.

Firstly, beloved in the Lord, oftentimes we are quick to point out the faults of others without graciously responding to their spiritual and moral struggles. Meanwhile, we may have our own moral and spiritual weaknesses that we are equally battling with. It is for this reason Jesus admonished us, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Matthew 7:1-2) A person may be morally weak but determined to draw closer to God; what he or she requires is mercy and compassion, not judgment and chastisement. When the woman who was caught in adultery was convicted based on the Mosaic law and was about to be stoned, Jesus said the pharisees and the people,  “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:7-11). This is what Jesus meant when He said, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Matthew 7:3-5). Friend in Christ, the difference between us and those who are in prison is that some of us have not been caught yet. When a thief is caught, we shout Kill him, yet at our offices, we double zeros and inflate prices of goods and services. We preach against fornication, yet our minds and hearts are filled with desires of sexual immorality. Jesus said, “I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28). We are called upon to show mercy, compassion and grace to those who are overwhelmed with sin because we are not perfect. The difference is that although we are not perfect, Jesus counted us worthy of His salvation on the cross and said “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) . Again, Paul reminds us that God did not judge us in our sins but was gracious, therefore “…God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). Indeed, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9). Beloved in the Lord, if God has been gracious to us in our weaknesses and sinfulness, why don’t you show mercy to that repentant spouse who had offended you but is not seeking to make amends? Why don’t you forgive that repentant son or daughter who was disrespectful and brought home shame and embarrassment, but now seeks reconciliation with you? Yes, why don’t you reconcile with those who have offended you but are willing to make amends? Remember, you may have also hurt others in the past and offended God in the past, yet God graciously forgave you and has made you a new creature in Christ.

Indeed, none of us is justified in holding grudges or people’s sins against them as if we are without sin. People do repent, and God reconciles with them. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.” (2 Corinthians 5:17-19) This is the reason why we must not be judged but work towards the salvation of those who are struggling with sin.

We must, however, be wise and discerning so that we do not allow the Gospel or spiritual truth to be degraded by those who are unrepentant, although we are being gracious to them. Jesus admonish us to “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.” (Matthew 7:6) There people whose intention is to make nonsense of the Gospel through senseless argument. No wonder Paul said, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18) Paul’s advice is worth taken note of when he wrote Timothy,  “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” (2 Timothy 2:23-26)

Secondly, abundant life in Christ is the assurance that we are able to pray and have our prayers answered by God. Jesus has assured us to “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7). It is comforting to note that God understands and knows our needs, to demonstrate to us that He hears our prayers, Jesus instructs us to pray in the form of asking God, seeking His face and knocking at His door in faith. Dear child of God, because Jesus knows we have an abundant life in Him, He again assured us that ” do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:31-33) In other words, God minds our business if we mind His business. Our business is to stay focused on God and surrender to His will by reflecting the perfect image of God, then we can confidently and joyously ask, seek and knock in prayer and be assured that we shall be answered, we shall find, and the door will be opened.

In summary, we have discovered that those who have an abundant life in Christ are gracious and not judgmental towards others. Again, those who have an abundant life in Christ are catered for through prayer. Shalom.

PRAYER

May the Holy Spirit empower us to be compassionate and gracious to others, even as our prayers are answered through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.