Thankful Thursdays - 5/14/15 - More Abundantly

I was in college the first time I read all the way through my Bible. There were a lot of books that just weren't read from very often in church while I was growing up. I knew I needed a deeper understanding of God, and that there must be answers to my questions in there somewhere. I think that first time reading all the way through gave me pause to realize just how much God has left us in His Word. As I was thinking about what I'm thankful for right now, my mind keeps going back to a verse I had heard growing up, but didn't even begin to understand until college. Reading through God's Word opened my eyes and my heart. God helped me understand a lot of things, but I'm still working on others.

In the tenth chapter of John, Jesus refers to Himself as the good shepherd. Knowing what I know now about sheep, I can understand my great need for a shepherd. I am thankful for Christ to lead, guide, and protect me. The verse that keeps coming back to mind is John 10:10. "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." NKJV

What does it mean to have life more abundantly? If we asked ten different people we might get ten different answers. The answer that matters is what God meant about more abundantly. I have not figured all of that out, but I know it hinges on verse nine: "I am the door, if anyone enters by me, he will be saved, and go in and out and find pasture." ESV 

Sheep can be quite content in a pasture with a good shepherd. Am I content? Hmm. 

What about your life? Is it an abundant life? To live more abundantly does not mean having more things, it means having Christ.

I want to be thankful for everything that God has blessed me with, but most importantly, I want to be thankful for Christ. 

Abundant life. 

Think about it.