David Morton

The Life Abundant

“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…”

Jesus of Nazareth, John 10:10-11a, The Bible

The word ‘abundant’ is not one that we use very often in everyday vocabulary. 

If you look up the definition for the word ‘abundant’, you will find that it means to have a great supply or quantity of.  Some synonyms are the words: overflowing, full, rich.

It seems that in this day and age the word ‘abundant’ and the word ‘life’ are not concepts that we would relate together unless it was to convey and abundant LOSS of life. Maybe it’s the stink of 2020 still stuck on me, but walking into 2021 I don’t feel the abundant life that Jesus promises. 

And I would imagine that many would say the same. I feel like the thief came. And I feel like he successfully stole, killed and destroyed so much in my life over this past year (and I can thankfully say that I didn’t have it as bad as most people). 

But as I reflect on the words of Jesus in John 10:10, the fact of the matter is that Jesus said…no, PROMISED that he came to give his ‘sheep’ the life abundant. Life that is overflowing, rich and full. 

DOES ABUNDANT MEAN EVERLASTING?

I have been following Jesus for over 25 years and for most of that time I would have said (along with most Christians) that when Jesus said I would have abundant life that he meant everlasting life in heaven. That’s John 3:16 stuff. Everyone knows that. End of story, right? 

But is everlasting life (eternity in heaven with God) the same thing as having life abundantly? 

When Jesus speaks in John 10 about being the good shepherd who cares for his sheep, is he only talking about life in heaven? Or does the context also point us to experiencing the life abundant NOW? 

Most of what Jesus taught us about faith, hope, love and life directly applied to our lives on this earth as followers. 

THE GOOD SHEPHERD

As I try to fully understand this, I cannot help but think that Jesus had Psalm 23 in mind as he tells his disciples that he is the good shepherd. 

Most people know Psalm 23. You typically hear this beautiful psalm read and quoted at funerals, But it is more than beautiful poetry. It is truth about who God is, and ultimately what we can know about Jesus and his life abundant.

 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
 He makes me to lie down in green pasture. He leads me beside still waters.
 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.
 For you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
 You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
 Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.
 And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  
Psalm 23 

This is a psalm of absolute dependance on the good shepherd regardless of circumstance. It is a promise of abundance to the sheep who is led by the good shepherd. It is a description of living a life of overflow and fullness. I believe that this is the picture and example Jesus would want to come to our minds when we think of the good shepherd. 

THE THIEF COMES TO STEAL, KILL AND DESTROY

But Jesus also gave us a contrasting image to the good shepherd. There is a real nemesis to the life abundant.

The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. 

Where Jesus (the good shepherd) wants to give you peace, abundance, comfort, goodness and mercy…

The thief, (Satan) only wants to ruin our lives. 

But what can he steal from us? Surely not eternal life…so it must be something that is available to us in this life.

It isn’t difficult to look around and see what the thief can do. He seems to…

  • Steal our joy, peace, hope, vision, perspective. He can even steal the gospel from our lips.
  • Kill our motivation, momentum, faith, power. He can even kill our reputation and name. 
  • Destroy our ministry, resolve, witness and mission. He can even destroy the work of our hands.

The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy to make us ineffective for the gospel. 

But Jesus came so that we would walk in faith and power.

What do you feel has been stolen from you? Here are some questions to help you identify.

  • Am I walking in faith?
  • Are my thoughts the overflow of peace and hope?
  • Is my life full of joy?
  • Is the gospel of Jesus spilling from my lips?
  • Is the mission of Christ on my heart?
  • Is the Word of God captivating my thoughts? 
  • Am I living the life abundant in Christ each day, full and overflowing?

Anxiety, fear, hopelessness, loneliness, depression, pride, idolatry, escapism, confusion, doubt, over work…these are all real struggles that Christians face. And we are settling for a life that is vandalized, terrorized and swindled by the enemy. 

FULL TO OVERFLOW INTO OTHERS

My 2020 life was not as abundant as it should have been. It actually felt like a desert, and it still feels like that in some ways.

But perhaps in the chaos, the LORD is showing me how much more full my life could (and should) be when I trust him, and when I let him lead me in paths of righteousness for HIS names sake. 

I want to experience the life abundant. Not some health and wealth life, or a “best life now” type of life…

But a full life that can overflow even in the midst of a pandemic. That can pour out for others in the midst of a depression. That can be enough life to share with those who disagree with me. To not hoard it from those who need it most or those who might hate and hurt me. 

Abundant = enough to share. Plenty to spare. Overflowing to give away. 

I have learned, however that the life abundant is not about ‘feeling’ abundant. However, it is about being faithful each day, then looking back to see that my surrender put me in a position to experience more that I ever thought could be. 

Perhaps if we changed our perspective. Instead of saying things like, “I don’t know how much more I can take. I don’t know how much more I can endure or give.” 

Maybe we can follow the example of our forbears and confess that “I am not enough, but God is. He will provide manna for each new day.” 

THE SPIRIT’S CORNUCOPIA

When you think of a cornucopia…as any red blooded American does every thanksgiving, we think of a horn of plenty…a basket overflowing with fruit and vegetables.

And that is a picture of the life abundant. How is this abundant life produced in us? Through  the work of the Holy Spirit. 

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

An abundant life is a life surrendered to the Holy Spirit, following the Good shepherd, that glorifies the Father.

An abundant life points to the GIVER of life, not to the one living it.

I think I’m done with letting the thief steal all my good stuff. Perhaps you are too. 

And that is what The Life Abundant blog is all about. Working out our faith with fear and trembling and a desire to experience all that Christ promises, regardless of the circumstance.