Today's Lectionary TextJohn 10:1-10“Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go 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.  Today's Devotional
How abundant is your life right now? I might answer, “that depends”. That depends on if I compare myself to my highly gifted, talented neighbor to my right, or if I compare myself to my needy neighbor to my left. Looking to my right, I could realize what I don’t have and feel slighted. Looking to my left, I could realize how bad others have it and feel elevated, better than and more blessed than my neighbor. The answer is dependent on if I find that I must compare and contrast myself to others in order to realize my abundance, my blessings. My answer is dependent on if I must put myself down or put another person, community, or nation down to realize who has abundant life. My answer is dependent of if, instead, I might be one who depends on the Give or abundance life for that very greatest of blessings. If this is where my dependence is found, then, my answer to today’s question is, Yes!
- Reflection from Mariellen Yoshino Prayer for ReflectionFor discernment about how God might want to use you to shine more brightly on the Gatekeeper of Abundance Life. To shine in ways which will lead more people – your family, friends, coworkers, colleagues, acquaintances – to Jesus.
All excerpts from “Catch the Fire in 50 Days: Joining the Movement of God’s Mission in the World” by Blake Busick and Christie Latona. |
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