We've been talking this evening about what Jesus meant when He said that He had come to give us a "full life" [John 10:10].
What does it mean to be filled and fulfilled? Is it a permanent state, or a changing one? Do we need to be regularly 'topped up'? etc.
We talked about what a full life looked like - knowing who we are (identity), knowing why we're here (purpose), knowing where we're going (security) - and what we can so easily be tempted to 'fill' our lives with instead - wealth, job satisfaction, family, friends, relationships, material goods etc. - the things that promise to satisfy, but always leave us wanting.
We talked about our capacity to be filled as well. Does it change and grow and stretch as we change and grow and stretch in our faith? Or is it fixed?
I have an amazing ability to fill whatever size handbag you give me. Be it small or large, I can guarantee I will fill every inch of it with things I need to have with me. I can't explain it. I think perhaps I see empty space as wasted space.
But it got me thinking about this idea of being filled, or having a full life. As we grow more in our relationships with God, perhaps He gives us a bigger capacity to be filled, so that we never tire or grow weary of walking with Him.
He gives us a bigger handbag.*
In Isaiah, God told His people to be prepared to be stretched so that He could bless them with a full and rich and abundant life -
"Enlarge the place of your tent,
stretch your tent curtains wide,
do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
strengthen your stakes.
For you will spread out to the right and to the left."
[Isaiah 54:2-3 NIV]
Sometimes in order to be filled, we need to stretch ourselves out and show that we're ready and longing to be filled.
We need to enlarge our hearts and empty them of the things that clutter our lives, without truly filling them.
In short, we need bigger handbags.
* Or manbag, if you'd prefer.
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