Abundant Life - April 30

Read John 10:9-10

I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Reflect

How has God been generous towards us? How then should we live?

The Lilies of the Field by William E. Barrett and written in 1962 is considered by many to be an American classic, as is the 1963 movie by the same name. The main character is Homer Smith, a black man who formerly served in the army. Once discharged from regimented military life, Homer roamed the West, enjoying his freedom. He wasn’t tied down to anyone or anything and he liked it that way. When he ran short on money, he picked up odd jobs here and there.

Looking for work, Homer stumbled upon a group of German nuns who had escaped communism. They found freedom and safety in the U.S. living on an abandoned farm west of the Rockies. Homer thought he was just going to repair their roof one day but he ended up getting more than he bargained for. Mother Maria Marthe was a woman on a mission and she was convinced that Homer was an answer to her prayers for a strong man to build them a chapel.

At first, Homer resented this strong-willed, stubborn woman. He thought she acted as if she owned him and he was a free man, not somebody’s slave. Still, he ended up doing as she asked and built them the chapel for free. Even though they were white, Catholic nuns from Germany and he was a black Baptist man from the south, they started to feel as if they belonged to each other, united by the same mission.

Near the end, Homer had this revelation: “He was free, building that church, just as free as he was in the city, even more so. There wasn’t anybody else to build it. He didn’t need the wages. He had a full life. He had many things. He was free like the lilies of the field.”

The lilies of the field is a reference to Matthew 6:28-29: “And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” Homer didn’t get paid by the nuns to build the church, and yet he felt free serving them in this way. He had a full life, he had everything he needed. He didn’t need to worry or stress. Ironically, he hadn’t found true freedom out on the open road, no rules, living for himself and no one else. He found freedom living within a community and generously serving others.

In today’s passage, Jesus said that He is the door. For context, Jesus had been talking about a sheepfold, so in this analogy, we are the sheep. If we enter by Him, we are saved and we have the freedom to go in and out and find pasture. We have a full, abundant life in Christ with no need to worry or be anxious. Like the lilies of the field, we can simply rest in the care of our Creator.

On John 10:10, the ESV study Bible noted: “Jesus calls his followers, not to a dour, lifeless, miserable existence that squashes human potential, but to a rich, full, joyful life, one overflowing with meaningful activities under the personal favor and blessing of God and in continual fellowship with his people.”

You see, that is what Homer found. He found freedom in meaningful activities and rich fellowship. He found freedom in generously giving himself to others. He found peace in participating in something bigger than Himself.

God has been so gracious to us! When we come to Him, we are like sheep safely within the bounds of the shepherd’s watch. We are cared for and provided for. We don’t need to worry. We don’t need to stress. We are free to fully live in God’s overflowing generosity. And when we do, that fullness will spill over into the lives of others because we’ll realize that we have the freedom to give of ourselves the way that He has given to us.

Respond

Lord, thank You for the freedom that You offer us. Like sheep safely within the bounds of Your pasture or lilies growing wild and free in the field, we can have a full, abundant life in You that spills over and blesses others. Remind me that true freedom is found in You alone. Amen.

Reveal

Is God calling you to give of yourself and serve Him in some way? If so, you need to do it! If you don’t, you may not fully experience the freedom and abundance of a life that overflows His graciousness and generosity.