Abundance

In John 10:10 we read the words of Jesus; “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”   What is it that Jesus wants to give us that the enemy so desperately wants to steal?  Jesus wants to give us life and life abundantly! This abundant life is certainly not about more stuff, more attention, more power or more thrills.  Those are just distractions, a carnal definition of the abundant life!

King Solomon, in all his wisdom, said it this way; “So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem.  Also my wisdom remained with me.  Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them.  I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor, and this was my reward from my labor.  I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind.  There was no profit under the sun.”  Eccl 2:9-11  All was vanity, and Solomon had it all but soon discovered, this was not the abundant life.

Abundant life in Christ is, the surety of our salvation, freedom from death, freedom from fear, freedom from prejudice, freedom from the one who would whisper in your ear and steal your joy.  It is beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, it is love, joy, and peace – oodles of it!  Patience! Kindness and gentleness in abundance.  All. The. Time.  Not just when things are going well.  In abundance.  

The Greek word for abundance is ‘perrissos’ meaning, exceeding some measure or number, over and above, more than is necessary, superadded, extraordinary, surpassing, more remarkable and more excellent.  Your God wants you to live a remarkable and excellent life!  He wants to give you an extraordinary life that surpasses all your expectations!  Doesn’t His Word say; “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.”

When you look deeper at the word for abundance, what you find will astound you!  The root word for abundance is ‘piero’, meaning to pierce.  That stopped me in my tracks, overwhelming me, bringing tears to my eyes.  Jesus, the Son of God, was pierced for me, over and over again.  Pierced as that whip bit into his flesh, pierced as they hammered those nails into his beautiful feet and loving hands.  Pierced as they stabbed a sword into His side.  At any time He could simply have stepped off that cross, after all, He is God.  But His love for you kept Him there, he went over and above, surpassing what was necessary, so that you could have an abundant life!  Now that is abundant love!  Going exceedingly beyond, for you.  Extraordinary!

This is the life He wants to give you, in abundance.  Without Christ, life has no meaning, there is no abundant life.