Day 5: Abundant life
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 (John 10:10 -NKJV).
Heavenly Father, unsearchable God, Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord, or instruct the Lord as his counselor? (Isaiah 40:13). You are the Sovereign Lord who comes with power and rules with a mighty arm—the One who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand... with the breadth of His hand marked off the heavens—who has held the dust of the earth in a basket—weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance... (Isaiah 40:10, 12).
And yet You are the tender, compassionate God who tends His flock like a shepherd— gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart—gently leads those that have young. (Isaiah 40:11).
Throughout Scripture, You have shown Yourself as a loving Shepherd who keeps watch over Your sheep—leading, providing, protecting, and preserving Your flock (Psalm 23, Isaiah 40:11, Jeremiah 31:10, Ezekiel 34, Micah 5:4, Zechariah 9:16, 1 Peter 2:25).
And the Lord Jesus, in whom all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form (Colossians 2:9), affirmed in Himself this identifying attribute of God: “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). He describes the bond, the intimacy, and the special relationship that offers security and protection for His sheep:
The One who enters by the gate is the Shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for Him, and the sheep listen to His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. When He has brought out all His own, He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice” (John 10:3-5).
O Lord, help us hear Your voice. Teach us to be wary of strange voices—the thieves and robbers who come to steal, kill, and destroy—the savage wolves who will not spare the flock (Act 20:29)—the roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). Defend Your flock from being plundered and becoming food for all the wild animals (Ezekiel 34:8).
Loving Savior, You are our Protector—the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls (1 Peter 2:25). You have declared, I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture (John 10:9 - NKJV).
Keep us from straying from Your green pastures—Your quiet waters (Psalm 23:2). Guard us against the confusing maze all around us—the elaborate labyrinth of lies, enticements, and entanglements—the mirages and illusions, the delusions, and deceptions that only give birth to wind (Isaiah 26:18). Guard us against the crafty temptations to despair, the treacherous incitements to defeat, the subtle lures to self-destruction.
In You alone we have abundant life. Teach our souls to follow close behind (hard after) You [for] Your right hand upholds us (Psalm 63:8 - NKJV).
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