Irenaeus once said, “The glory of God is a human being fully alive.” And Christ said, “I came so that you might have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). The abundant life is the one captivated by the holy, inclined toward God, and spent in the service of people. This abundant life looks ingloriously mundane most of the time, but do not despise the day of small beginnings (Zechariah 4:10).
Life will ebb and flow, sometimes desire for God will be strong and even satisfied to a degree, but sometimes our desire for God will be nothing more than a whispered “Yes,” even barely an exhale. This, too, is desire and should be counted as faith, however small, and this exhale of breath that signifies the spark of a soul is capable of lighting the world on fire. Faith like a mustard seed can still move mountains (Matthew 17:20), even that mountain called the human heart.
[Sculpture of Irenaeus of Lyon]
Judy Palpant says
Like all your posts, this one is pithy. It lines up with Oswald Chambers and C.S. Lewis and all your other mentors who still speak. Thank you for this fresh word. I’m not sure I’d ever thought of my heart being the mountain that could be moved by faith the size of a mustard seed. Thank you for putting your words, thoughts and observations out there for others’ benefit.:)
Susan Strong says
The statement “this exhale of breath that signifies the spark of a soul is capable of lighting the world on fire” puts you in the category of a poet for sure and one I would like to continue reading. Thank you for encouraging my faith.
Kristin Dierdorff says
Ben, this word is timely for me and the musings of my heart today, particularly your statement, “The abundant life is the one captivated by the holy, inclined toward God, and spent in the service of people.” The question is, how do we engage individuals in a culture that has radically substituted the abundant life with the lie of gender expression, free speech and sexual perversion?
May God grant the grace to give us a desire to seek the abundant life for ourselves and the compassion to recognize and communicate to the lost the way to the life of abundance.