Previously, we have been examining how God in Jesus has come to be with us and to invite us to actively participate together with Him in all of the aspects of life, a life that is filled with true abundance.
Here though, we want to explore the next level of experiencing abundant life with Him. [Before reading further, pause to think, what do you think that next level would have to include for even a greater experience of experiencing of Jesus?]
Created in God’s image, people are made to be relators and creators.
With regard to relating, even neuroscience has now been able to identify the extraordinary need for people to connect meaningfully with other people, a need so great that it is “even more fundamental then our need for food and shelter”. This quote is from the book, Social by Matthew Lieberman based on over a decade of research on how our brains respond to social engagement.
Sadly though, while we were created/wired for complete connection with one another (and also with God), something went horribly wrong leading to great challenges and impediments in both realms. Despite this though, there are ways to still experience substantial levels of closeness and collaboration with others and with God as well.
Breaking through to actually doing and being in life together with others leads to the co-creation of truly remarkable things. From peace, to great products, to well-functioning children, together with others, in sync and toward a common purpose, is powerful. This happens when people find ways to get past the lack of trust and respect and value they assign to others and create real dialogue with each other leading to real trust, mutual respect, and truly valuing the other and themselves.
Even more fundamental to a great life is the ability to recover the once lost access to do life together with, and co-create with God Himself, as made available now in Jesus which is what we have previously been examining. This too comes through a dialogue, which Jesus initiates with people, leading to even better outcomes now and past the end of their lives in this age.
But how much more powerful when we tap into doing this life together with Jesus… together with others! This is the next level. This is what is meant by Together, Together. This is the reality of life in His kingdom/household, and what He expressed as His desire for, in the prayer in John 17. A state of being where people are actually able to begin to enter into connection with the Triune presence of God and others at the same time and not just figuratively, but in the actual living out of life and functioning in their marriages, their activities in the marketplace, their common interests, and even in their assemblies of believers.
Engagement with each other takes on a whole other aspect when it is done together with and in Jesus and I would most certainly recommend the reading of the first chapter of Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer for some incredible insights in this area. One of those insights being to distinguish the absolute difference between connecting on a merely human level versus connecting through Jesus.
That being said, take some time to ponder how much more full life can be when we are engaged in more and more healthy ways Together, Together with Him and others.
Write down what that looks like and what are the things that would need to happen for that to occur more fully in your life?
What are the resources that you already have to make that possible, the steps you could begin to take, how are your own mindset and perspectives could be altered for this to be able to happen more? Always be asking Jesus to give you His insights in this area and to work together with you to see this come into greater reality.
And, in addition to dialoging with Jesus, what are ways that you can you can begin to dialogue together with others about venturing further into the incredible opportunity of doing this Together, Together with Him?
Life is always best done as a team sport especially if it’s Together, Together!
Shalom in Jesus 🙂