And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. Genesis 2:7

A couple of years ago, I had surgery on my right foot. For three weeks straight, I was unable to drive, or really go out too much at all. If I left the house, I had to wait on someone to pick me up. If I needed something from the store, I had to wait on someone to bring it to me. But one particular morning, as I meditated and talked to the Lord about things I would like to do when I fully recuperate; I began to thank Him for life. You see, the doctor warned me that the process of healing could be from three to six months before I really felt normal.

What does it mean to really live? Many people exist from day to day, going to work, coming home and taking care of family responsibilities, and then wake up to the same old routine. Let’s not leave out the devout church goers who never miss a service, but return home every day to the same old routine and the same old unhappy complacent attitude toward life. Many people lack zeal and excitement about their life because they operate on auto-pilot. Even Christians! Many are just marking time until they cross the Jordan into eternal life. This earth is not our eternal home—but we are alive today! What are you doing with your life?

To live means to fulfill your God-given purpose. To live means fulfill and express your heart, mind and soul through the giving of time, talent and substance to building of God’s kingdom, to live out the expression of love to God and to all of the many family and friends around you. God is love, and those who love God and receive His love share in His passion for life. But to fully live means that we must embrace the path that God has fashioned for us with thanksgiving, faith and an abiding connection with our Maker.

The above verse says that God breathed life into man and he became a living soul. But God surrounded Adam and Eve with a beautiful garden. They enjoyed the presence of God, each other, and nature. God gave purpose to Adam and Eve, even after they were expelled from the Garden of Eden because of disobedience. But from that time to the present, man has been on a spiritual quest to discover life and the presence of a higher power.

That higher power is God almighty. He is the Creator of heaven and earth, and the Maker of all mankind. He sent His only begotten Son Jesus so that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Jesus died and rose again for your life! God doesn’t take from our lives, but He adds to it. He gives us a special ability through His spirit to forgive and to experience real love, joy and peace. God gives us a special appreciation for Art, Music and Nature because these all originate from Him. God also gives us a special love for people of all cultures, race and creed because we understand that God made us all. Diversity makes life interesting! God also gave us the special ability to produce, to set goals and fulfill dreams and visions. If we delight in Him, He will give us the desire of our hearts. This is the abundance that God promised to those who love Him.

And finally, to live also means to appreciate who and what is around you. It means to love your family and love your friends. It means to take the time to smell the roses and appreciate the world around you. To live means to be creative, to relax and de-stress every now and then. To live means to get out of the box and meet some new people. Do something different—take a chance and experiment with life!! What do you really like to do? Are you afraid to take the risk of someone not agreeing with your choices so that you can live? What is the vision for your life? It may be time to make it happen—to step out on faith—just try it!!

So as I sat and pondered over what I would do when I recovered, I decided to first thank God for breathing life into my soul and giving me the good sense to appreciate life and everything in it! The good and the bad, the ups and the downs... it will all work out for my good...and yours too!

Prayer: Lord I thank you for my life. Help me to embrace the many blessings you have prepared. Empower me to live life it to its fullest! Amen.