LIVING UP
The Spirit is God's guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and he has purchased us to be his own People. He did this so we would praise and glorify him. (Ephesians 1:14 NLT)
We have so much promised to us in Christ and all we have to do is live in it. Living in Christ is living up. It is living above the things that can so easily drag us down. Living up is a choice. I know that it seems easier to say that it is to do, but it is true.
In Philippians 3:16 we are encouraged to hold on to what we know and another translation challenges us to live up to what and who we are. God would not ask us to hold on to false hope or live up to what does not exist. His promises are simply ours to possess.
In order to get the most out of the promises of God we need to come to the place where we really believe that there is something bigger and more important that the here and now. Yes Jesus came so that we could have life and have it abundantly, but the entrance into that life is being totally convinced that there is something bigger and better ahead. Then we can enjoy today while living for eternity.
Remember Abraham who was looking for a city built by God. He was blessed abundantly but never built a house; his roots were in the future. That does not mean we should not have a house. It does mean that the house should not have us. Nothing that distracts from giving God glory and praise should have a hold on us. Our very lives are not our own and there is so much liberty in understanding and knowing that.
There is no doubt that God has given us a great deal to live up to; however He has given us more than enough to live up with. What I mean is that we have an extremely high calling, but he has given us more than enough to live even above that calling.
He has given us the Holy Spirit. He knows how to do it all and lead us into all truth. The truth that has driven me since the beginning is that there is more. The more I find, the more I find that I am short of where I can and should be. This does not get me down, rather it drives me forward.
From time to time I feel like I am racing closer to the top, only to find there is something bigger after a small plateau! Sometimes insignificant failures feel so big and big successes seem so small. Thank God I can live above both by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Living up is a challenge that is not intended to condemn us. It is intended to encourage and strengthen us. Start by grasping that this life is not the most important life. It is then that we truly begin to live. Live up dear ones. Live up.