The Tribune

This is a life of love and liberty. Let us explore this further.

What does a life of love and liberty look like from the human point of view? It may involve any or all of the following:

1. To be surrounded by people who love, support and care for us

2. To be debt-free with all of our bills paid

3. To have a life of leisure and pleasure

4. Early retirement with no real demands to meet

5. Freedom to travel or shop, change neighbourhoods or cars whenever we want

6. To have at least seven revenue streams

7. To assist others with the education of their children or to start their own business

What else comes to mind? Have your dreams changed as you grow older? What were they like in your teens, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s? Has each decade brought on a different perspective?

I find it hard to believe at times that I am approaching “my mother’s age” as I remember her. We all find aging interesting for the most part, both enjoyable as we become more wise, and challenging at the onset of aches and pains. You may be at some point where you are both looking forward and backward at the same time: single for years and now considering marriage; once in excellent health and now facing serious issues; rearing a young family all of whom are grown and on their own.

What do you hope your abundant life to look like in one year, five or 10 or 20? Do you have a “things to do before I die list?”

What does the abundant life look like from God’s perspective? Consider the following passages of scripture for the answer:

1. The Collect or prayer: “Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ.” (Anglican Book of Common Prayer).

2. In Isaiah we find these words: “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness] will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. (Isaiah 58:6-9 NIV).

3. Psalm 112: 1- NIV: “Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands. Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever. Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous. Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice.”

4. I Corinthians 2: 1-5 NIV: “When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.”

5. Matthew 5:13- 20 NIV: “You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world…let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven…but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

As you read for yourself you come to realise what God’s version of the abundant life looks like. I pray that you will discover the joy of the journey inwards to find how much you are loved by God and the blessings only to be found when doing the will of God.

• Rev Angela Palacious, a motivational speaker and author of several devotional books, is an Anglican priest. She may be contacted at 393-9000 or by e-mail at angelapalacious@gmail.com.