All Inclusive

Some 2000 years ago, when Jesus left heaven and came to earth, He made some astounding promises. He promised hope, healing, purpose, destiny, power, perseverance, adventure, suspense, authority...but there was one, if we possessed that promise, we would possess them all. He promised eternal life.

I remember researching for our honeymoon destination twelve years ago, learning all sorts of new terminology in the resort industry. The one that I remember most was "all inclusive." It meant that with that package, for that price, everything was included. You got it all, access to every restaurant, every dish, as many times a day...needless to say the feeling of hunger was elusive that week! All the amenities of the resort were ours to enjoy.

Eternal life is all inclusive. Once we posses this, so too do we possess every other promise Jesus made, every one. This promise of eternal life was not some fine print promise that only the spiritually savvy have any hope of possessing. Jesus puts it out there plainly, for everyone.

He teaches that eternal life is both now and forever. For centuries, mankind had suffered in the myth of believing that eternal life was only found in the after life, that eternal life was limited to the eternity that began after our last breath. Jesus shattered that myth. He taught that, yes, eternal life is the promise of forever with God in an existence that is reminiscent of Eden, but it begins now, in this life. If we are waiting for something to come, Jesus says, we are missing what God intended for today! Eternal life is both now and forever.

Jesus wants us to possess His all inclusive promise of eternal life. I wonder if one reason so many people rejected Him was because He just made it seem too simple. Come on, shouldn't something priceless, something so vastly desired be at least a little intricate to possess? In our secular thinking, exclusivity is synonymous with desirability. A godless value system says, "If just anyone can have it, maybe I don't want it." One of Jesus' favorite words is "whosoever."

He says a vow of devotion to Him, pursuing intimacy with God, embracing care of other, having an appetite for personal transformation, and diligence in service will usher "whosoever" out of just existing and into eternal life. And if that's not simple enough, just in case you think you can't, that you don't have what it takes, that any of these are just too much to ask, He says, yes, you're right so I'm going to send some to help you, the Holy Spirit. Are you kidding me? He makes it that plain and also gives us an Advocate to work on our behalf 24/7? Yes.

Do you have cravings? I do. I'm having one right now for some white coconut chocolate I had last week. It is at the store, I can see the isle in my imagination...I may not finish this blog without satisfying that craving...but alas, I endure! Did you know that you also have spiritual cravings? Every person does. That is the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, every life.

We charismatic, pentecostal, evangelical followers of Jesus proclaim our commitment to bring Jesus to the world! I think the Holy Spirit is deeply offended by that kind of attitude. Are we commissioned to go, most certainly, but let us never forget that the Holy Spirit is already wherever we are commissioned to go and let our attitude be, "Holy Spirit, how can I join in what you are already doing."

There are innate desires in every human being, spiritual cravings, for scripture, prayer, gathering, generosity, rest, stewardship, worship, relationship, fasting, accountability, reaching, and service. Sure we all have different ways of saying them but they are all there, longing to be expressed, experience, pursued, satisfied in every one of us. Why, because that is the work of the Holy Spirit in all our lives, moving us, prompting us, leading us, imploring us, convicting us, inspiring us towards these, what I call, pathways. You show me a person that is actively incorporating these pathways into their lives and I'll show you a person who is devoted to Jesus, experiencing intimacy with God, enjoying the care of others, feeding their appetite for personal transformation, and being diligent in service...possessing eternal life, full today and confident of a fullness to come.

Craving something? Of course you are. Don't deny yourself what Jesus came all the way from heaven to earth to show us, to die for us, to possess all His many promises in one, all inclusive, eternal life.

Pastor Fred

Psalm 126

...parphrasing verses 5 and 6...

When we sow sorrow into the soil of God's heart, we reep a harvest of joy in time.