Abundant Life

Romans 6:23 (ESV)

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Victor Torres was a poor nine-year-old boy who lived with his mother in a rough neighborhood in New York. He was already a member of a gang. By 12, he stabbed a man. He was hooked on drugs and had been arrested for many crimes involving robbing, stealing, killing and illegal activities.

His poor mother didn’t know what to do, so she started praying for him, that one day he would serve the Lord. She would speak words of faith over him. But he seemed to get worse.

John 10:10 “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”.

What we can observe in Victor’s life is a downward spiral, a gradual death. That’s what sin does to us. It pays us with death.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord”.

The reason Jesus came to earth was to give us life – eternal and abundant. Eternal means it stretches beyond this world and beyond the grave. Abundant means life for every area of our being, more than sufficient for every challenge and pressure.

How can Jesus give us this high quality of life?

Hebrew 2:9 “Jesus...suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone”.

Jesus tasted death for every one of us. He bore the rebellion of the entire human race, and so died the death due to all men. In return, to all who accept His sacrifice, Jesus now offers the gift of eternal life.

Dear Lord, we thank You our life and life more abundantly.  We pray for God’s hand of protection around each of us. We pray that we would daily be filled with Your love and protection.  In the Name of Jesus, Amen.