The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly!
John 10:10
Do you know what is in this verse that is not written in your Bible? The final exclamation point! But it is difficult to imagine Jesus making that statement without that exclamation point… He came to give us LIFE and abundant life!
In many countries and cultures, November 2 is associated with the Day of the Dead. It recalls loved ones who are no longer with us, people line up in cemeteries and decorate their tombstones with flowers. But We can also talk about life. Without any disrespect, if Jesus made this powerful statement about the purpose of His incarnation – to bring life – it must also reach the lives of those who no longer live, right?
Which leads me to think of another very strong word in this verse: ABUNDANCE!
Abundance means exceeding, not ending, overflowing! It has to do with almost waste, and certainly not with saving, rationing or saving. Doesn’t it look like a consumer dream? Enter the supermarket or mall without worrying about looking at prices; talking to a friend without worrying about the clock; enjoy the pleasure of a company without fear that it will end.
With that I ask you, is your life abundant, or are you just surviving? Is your perception of eternity in Christ or do you live counting the hours? Think about it.
Another text that catches my attention is I Cor 15:19. There Paul declares that “if we hope in Christ only in this life, we are the most miserable of all men”, that is, if the abundance of life in Christ does not transcend his own earthly life, that same earthly life is simply miserable.
I wish you a truly abundant life. Where you don’t always have to worry about your end – celebrated in cemeteries – but rather, focused on its overflow, enjoyed for eternity.
Paulo Oliveira,
CEO of Bible Offline APP.
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