This Is My Life

What is my life? What is your life?

Billy Joel captures our human sentiments with his song: "I don't care what you say anymore, this is my life. Go ahead with your own life and leave me alone."

By God's grace, I would like my version to be: "I do care what you say, I always want to care, this is my life. Do live your own life and let me walk alongside you." And if you won't, maybe I'll shed a tear.

In The Greatest Showman, Keala Settle sang the Academy Award nominated song "This Is Me" (Benj Pasek, Justin Paul).These are the catchy lyrics:

When the sharpest words wanna cut me down

I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out

I am brave, I am bruised

I am who I'm meant to be, this is me

Look out 'cause here I come

And I'm marching on to the beat I drum

I'm not scared to be seen

I make no apologies, this is me

As a Christ follower, Jesus' words capture my soul more than any other words: "I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance" (Jn 10:10b, HCSB). "My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life" (Jn 10:10b, NLT).

How would I define and express the basic contents of my (hopefully abundant) life?

1. My passion (what I want to live out): Testify to grace (Ac 20:24).
2. My foundation (the basis of what I do): The whole counsel of God (Ac 20:27; 2 Tim 3:16).
3. My desire (what I want to do): Entrust to faithful people who can teach others (2 Tim 2:2; Mt 28:19).
4. My hope (what I want to see): Noble people who examine the Scriptures daily (Ac 17:11; 1 Th 2:13).

What is my vision for the church?

1. Enjoy reading the Bible (Ps 1:2; 119:97).
2. Engage/encourage each other through studying Scripture (Heb 10:24-25).
3. Enhance each other's lives (Jn 10:10b).
4. Encounter God and fall in love with him (Isa 6:5; Dt 6:5; Mt 22:37; Mk 12:29-30).

How do I live out my one life?

1. Read the Bible (2 Tim 3:16; 2 Pet 1:21; Mt 24:35; Lk 21:33; Ps 19:7).
2. Read books (2 Tim 4:13).
3. Read people to understand them and to be their friends (Jn 15:15; Prov 17:17).
4. Respond to others softly and gently (Phil 4:5; Jas 1:19; Col 3:12, 4:6; Lk 6:45; Eccl 10:12; Prov 15:1, 4; 16:24; 25:15).
5. Remember God's grace and kindness (1 Cor 15:10; Rom 2:4).
6. Reflect/review my life often.
7. Reaccess my life often.