As I was studying for CLT tonight, I came across something that I had written down in my notes as an inadequate view of repentance.

"Living the Christian life looking for the minimum expectation."

Considering I hadn't gotten the chance to do my devo's yet today, I thought that this would be a great place to start (so much for my study of 1 Kings... I'll finish one of these days!)

How many of us live our Christian lives looking for the minimum expectation? I think that all too often we treat the Christian life like we treat our schoolwork... what's the least amount of work that I can do to pull off the A? Or maybe for some of us, it's more like, "what's the least amount of work I can do to pull of a passing grade?"

We have been called to so much more than this, and anything less is not true repentance. What's more is that we are missing out on the completeness of abundant living in Christ when we settle for less! I John 1:2-4 says, "The life [Christ] appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to you to make our [or your, depending on the translation] joy complete."

What is it that makes our joy complete? Fun times? Cutting it as close as we possibly can? Living on the edge? No way. It is fellowship with Christ and fellowship with His followers.

I John 1 goes on to talk about how we can maintain fellowship with God and the body of Christ: "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (vs. 7)"

How abundant is your life right now? After all, Christ came so that we might have life and have it more abundantly! (John 10:10) Is your joy complete as you walk in fellowship with God and others... or are you wearing thin as you try to find completeness on your own?

... just something to think about.