The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I
came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd.
The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10.10-11
This, I am sure, is
a bit of Scripture that is familiar to most of you. It is a great promise that
Jesus has made to all who are His. He gives us life, real life, and that to
overflowing. This is a great blessing of the Gospel.
There have been some
who have seen this blessing as limited to only some Christians, to those who
have done something extra. But the fact is that the gift of life belongs to us
all.
One problem here is
that too many are not clear on what this life actually is. What helps is to
consider the Bible's definition of death. That's when things just don't work.
The curse of death meant that Adam and Eve were at odds. Their relationship to
creation was twisted. And God was at a distance. Day to day living didn't work.
Life is the opposite
of that. It's where day to day living actually does work. And that's what Jesus
has come to provide for us. That's what eternal life, the abundant life, is
about.
Now, it is true that
we don't all enjoy it as much as we can. But there is no reason why that cannot
be changed. It is as we heed the Spirit as He points out our sin, the sin of
unbelief of some aspect of the Gospel, that we will grow in our enjoyment of
the life that Jesus has gained for us.
These words also
remind us of what it took so that we could enjoy this blessing of life. Jesus,
our Good Shepherd, lay down His life. He sacrificed His experience of the life
of eternity so that we could gain it. Just a little meditation on what He has done
will result in deep devotion to Him.