Finding Your Way Back to God
Have you ever felt like you’re going through life but there’s no life going through you? Think about that for a moment. Has your life become a constant to do list of activities but there’s no joy to any of it anymore?
I want to share the truth that as a believer, we can find life that is really living not just surviving.
I have a confession to make. I was born on a Caribbean island and I cannot swim. I know, shocking, right??
I’m the designated babysitter on the shore while everyone else is out in the deep, snorkeling, swimming, diving. But a few years ago while I was there, I told the family that enough was enough. I was determined to conquer my fear of the open ocean. So they made a plan to put Bud and I on a rubber hot dog (I kid you not) that was going to be pulled by my brother-in-law’s speedboat. Of course I had on a life jacket that I tightened to the point of blacking out but still. This was a very big deal for me. So we got out in the deep end and I climbed onto this thing, all the while hearing my family assure me that it was going to be so much fun; that they were not going to go fast and that I would love it.
Hanging on for dear life, white knuckles and all, the boat started pulling us. Now my family knew better than to go fast because once back on the boat, their lives would be in danger. But what we didn’t know is that another speedboat was coming up on the side of us as we slowly cruised and thinking it would be fun to pass us up going a million miles an hour. If you’ve ever been out in the water, you know that it caused huge waves. Yes, you know what happened next. The waves catapulted us up in the air and down into the water.
I saw my life pass before my eyes as they brought the boat around quickly to rescue us. I was shaking and scared but in that moment I felt more alive than I had in many years. I had faced my fears and conquered the deep open ocean!
We can compare that to our Christian life. Do we want to allow our fears and weaknesses and past failures to keep us from living out the kind of exciting life we only dream of? What is it that you dream about doing for God?
The Bible says that Jesus came so we could experience that life. In fact, he told his followers in John 10:10 I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full.
Some translations say, “rich and satisfying life” or “abundant life.” What do you think of when you think of “abundant life” or “life to the full?” I think I tend to think of the word “MORE.” A “rich and satisfying life” sounds like “MORE,” doesn’t it? More money, more possessions, more status.
As a culture we love the word “MORE.” We equate fullness of life with MORE in our lives. But that’s not what Jesus is talking about in this verse.
The original language of the New Testament has two words for “life.” One is the word BIOS. It’s the root word for biology. BIOS means “natural life.” It can also refer to a chronological life. The average BIOS life includes those day to day things of life like working, eating, sleeping. All of that is a part of a BIOS life.
”But there’s another word for “life” in the Bible, and it’s the word ZOE. ZOE includes a BIOS kind of life but goes way beyond that. BIOS, is about quantity and “more” of the same; but ZOE is about a quality of life that comes only from knowing God. A ZOE life ultimately refers to the kind of life that you were made for that will never end. But ZOE life is also about the quality of life God has for us right now.
When Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” guess which word for life he uses? ZOE! Jesus is talking about a quality of life with God that changes your past, present, and future; not just “more” of the same life. When you find your way back to God, you discover the ZOE life.
Now in the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15, we see this contrast between BIOS life and ZOE life play out. When the father divides his inheritance that word is actually the word “BIOS.” It says, literally, the father divided his “life” between his sons. It’s as if the father is saying, “I’ll let you have all that you’re asking for but someday you will realize that MORE won’t fully satisfy.”
God our father doesn’t want us to settle for the BIOS life when he created us for the ZOE life. The Father wants us to experience life to the full; life in Him and with Him.
In Luke 15, right before Jesus told the story of the prodigal son, he told two other stories in which someone loses something of great value. The first story is about a man who has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. He looks and looks for it, and when he finds the sheep, “…he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep’” (Luke 15:6). The second story is about a woman who loses a valuable coin. She looks and looks for it, and when she finds it, “she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin’” (Luke 15:9).
Then comes the third story—the story of the lost son. As we’ve already seen, when the son finally nears home, his father runs to him to welcome him home. Then he calls everyone together to make an announcement: “‘Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” (Luke 15:23-24).
Notice that each time that something of value is found, there is a great celebration.
If you have found your way back to God, then you have good reason to celebrate! You were lost and now are found. And that is true whether that moment came 30 years ago or last week. You have been given the chance to make peace with your past. You have been given a purpose for living. You have been given hope for your future and that it only come from a life lived with the Father right in the center of it all.
Psalm 149: 4 say “The LORD takes delight in his people.”
Did you know God feels that way about spending time with you? Like the father in our story, Our Father is waiting and watching for us. I talked about that in my last blog about longing.
God has a dream for this world. His dream is that every single person would live every second of their existence knowing that they are relentlessly and passionately loved by Him. His desire is that every person would find their way back to Him.
When we truly awaken to the new ZOE life God offers us, we see the possibilities for our future completely differently. Our priorities change. Life becomes about something that is better, bigger, and more meaningful than ever before.
This blog, Dream Big Girl, was one of those ZOE life accomplishments for me! I wanted so much to encourage women to dream big, crazy, impossible dreams again!
Some of the dreams that are still locked in my heart is to minister to those caught in the sex trafficking life. How will I do that with no experience in that area, I still don’t know? Also Bud and I are determined to bring college classes to the young people on my tiny island, giving them opportunities they don’t presently have. I honestly have no clue how we will accomplish that one.
But those bold dreams are a part of that ZOE life God has promised to you and I.
So I ask each of you “What are those dreams that are locked in your heart? Those impossible things you want to do for God? Just know that if they’re in your heart, God placed them there and will be with you as you walk that path daily.
A friend shared this with me recently.
Psalm 139:5 Passion Translation, David tells God
You’ve gone into my future to prepare the way and in kindness you follow behind me to spare me from the harm of my past. With Your hand of love upon my life, You impart a blessing to me.
Your new, lifelong walk with Jesus is a journey you don’t have to walk alone. In fact, you never need to live apart from your heavenly Father again. That word says He has gone before you to prepare the way.
If you find yourself feeling lost or you’re just tired of the same old, same old life and know there’s got to be more…let me encourage you to come home. Come back to the Father. Come back to the life that is really living! Find your way back to God, whether is been just a few days or weeks since you’ve spent time with Him or years; whether you have a relationship with Him or you’ve never experienced that before. The Father is waiting and watching for you to come to Him, just as you are. He wants to welcome you back into His presence; into His life and into the life you have only dreamed of living!
