That Poster Jul-2019 “Jesus gives life to the full”

27th Jul 2019 That Poster (Outreach Media)

There are so many wonderful things in life. The joy of love, family, satisfaction in hard work, the prospect of a new adventure, admiring the awesome beauty of nature. It is truly a remarkable world.

Yet in all of these things, there’s always a blemish. And the blemish lies in us and in each thing we experience. For example, our own cynicism and doubts prevent us properly enjoying goodness in love and work and family. And, as for the objects of our joy and desire – they always let us down in some measure. So, family’s fracture and fall out. Children forget their parents and live selfish lives. We chase a project with all our energy only to find it wasn’t worth the chasing.

In every part of life there’s always dissatisfaction. Any number of things can intervene to undermine success… from accidents, to mismanagement, to petty politics, injustice, corruption… even our own boredom, or doubts, or distractions.

The greatest enemy to fulfillment in this life is the knowledge that death awaits. It means that whatever we pursue is futile. Nothing can escape it… even the material universe. Everything must pass away.

If only there were a thread of hope dangling down for us from eternity. In the song, ‘Into My Arms’, Nick Cave, the Australian songwriter, speaks of an, ‘interventionist God’ who might prevent his beloved from being harmed. Yet he can’t bring himself to believe that such a good God might exist.

But such a good God does exist and the Bible describes his character and ‘interventions’ in human history in great detail. As creator of the world he made us so that we might relate to him closely. But since creation we’ve resisted this purpose. Yet no matter how hard we resist he still loves us and wants us to be with him. The bible says that God has ‘set eternity in the human heart’. Clearly, he meant us to spend it with him.

When our purpose is eternity with God, how did we ever think we could find it in movies or architecture or holidays or skin cream? Whatever we do apart from God is doomed and destined for disgruntlement.

So, give way. Give yourself to God’s son, Jesus Christ, whose mighty intervention on your behalf at the cross means you can have life with God forever. Accept Jesus and the immortal words he offers all people which are found in the gospel of John, chapter 10 verse 10,

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Ian Brunton