S P I R I T U A L   P O W E R P O I N T S

Something More

June 2001 - By Brooke Redwine

Something More The Goal Food for Thought Additional Resources

Theologian Henri Nouwen writes, "Recently, a friend told me a story about twins talking to each other in the womb. The sister said to the brother, 'I believe there is life after birth."

Her brother protested vehemently, "No, no, this is all there is. This is a dark and cozy place, and we have nothing else to do but cling to the cord that feeds us."

The little girl insisted. "There must be something more than this dark place. There must be something else, a place with light where there is freedom to move." Still she could not convince her twin brother.

After some silence, the sister said, hesitantly, "I have something else to say, and I'm afraid you won't believe that either, but I think there is a mother."

Her brother became furious. "A mother!" he shouted. "What are you talking about? I have never seen a mother, and neither have you. Who put that idea in your head? As I told you, this place is all we have. Why do you always want more? This is not such a bad place, after all. We have all we need, so let's be content."

The sister was quite overwhelmed by her brother's response and for a while didn't dare say anything more. But she couldn't let go of her thoughts, and since she had only her twin brother to speak to, she finally said, "Don't you feel these squeezes every once in a while? They're quite unpleasant and sometimes even painful."

"Yes," he answered. "What's special about that?"

"Well," the sister said, "I think that these squeezes are there to get us ready for another place, much more beautiful than this, where we will see our mother face-to-face. Don't you think that's exciting?"

The sister in this sibling duo realized there was something more to life than what she and her brother were currently experiencing. She didn't just see the darkness or simply feel the "unpleasant squeezes" and take them at face value. She looked deeper. Beyond what her eyes could see and farther than her mind had ever known.

She dared to believe there was something more.

In our relationship with Jesus Christ, we often settle for what we know. We look back on what God has done in the past and only expect that same level of commitment in the future. While it's wonderful to see God's glory in our past circumstances and praise Him for it, we cannot let our faith rest in the past.

Second Corinthians 6:2 says, "Behold, now is 'the day of salvation.'" Although the verse is short, its message and urgency impact us powerfully, speaking to those who have not yet come to Christ and to those who have.

If you have never entered into a personal relationship with Jesus, His message to you is "Why wait?" He has amazing things in store for you and wants you to accept Him with open arms.

If you are in a relationship with Jesus, His message to you is "Why settle for what you know?" He has more to teach you, more of Himself to reveal, and more of His promises to fulfill in your life.

As we go about our days, we must remember God's promise in Philippians 1:6: "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."

God is faithful to finish what He started in each of His children. Once we accept Christ as our Savior, the work of sanctification begins. And it continues. There is always more to walking with God than what we've known, seen, learned, or experienced.

No matter what his circumstances, the apostle Paul never settled for the past: "One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13).

We too must "press on" with the mindset that there is always something more to be found in Christ.

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