The first part of John 10:10 says, “The thief comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy...” We know that the “thief” (Satan and the like) has many ploys, diverse plans, and he KNOWS mankind. He knows our weaknesses and is not afraid to expoit them to his benefit.
There are several treasures that come with being a Christian, but the one I’m focusing on for the remainder of 2011 is:
ABUNDANCE!
In the rest of John 10:10, Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
That’s right. Jesus came that we may have an abundant life. A more FULL life. Many people look at Christianity and see all the laws/commandments and cringe. What they don’t understand is that the regulations are there to set them FREE.
In my “Instructing the Child’s Heart” class at PWOC, the teacher made a very interesting analogy concerning children and boundaries. I think it applies here as well, so I thought I’d share.
Imagine that the commandments God set before us as a set of train tracks. We are the train. If a train goes off the tracks to cross a field, it sinks into the dirt. If it tries to climb a mountain, it gets stuck on the rocks. If it tries to cross a lake…well, you get the picture. However, when a train stays on the tracks. It can get anywhere it needs to go. It can fly across the prairie, charge across those mountains, and sail over the lake.
Christ came to give us life, and when we follow His commandments, we find an abundance of everything from love and joy to strength and power. His restrictions set us free. We are not caught under the sway of society. We are more. We live in the abundance. The overflow.
What joy to ponder as we enter the weekend. What abundance do you seek?
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2 comments
Jessica R. Patch
October 21, 2011 at 3:01 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Love this post and the analogy! So true, friend. Have a great weekend.
Tymothy Longoria
October 22, 2011 at 8:23 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
This is bound for Glory!
Yes, many say, “Aw just more rules and people(God) telling me what to do and how to be. I’m outta here.”
Once they see for themselves…how beautiful indeed and fulfilling our walk with Christ truly is!
I won’t even call them rules. I’ll say guidelines but that’s just semantics.
You hit the nail, and I too am focusing on the abundance of Christ!
Amen!