Verse of the Day 9/7

Verse of the Day 9/7

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. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.  English Standard Version (ESV)

As I read these verses in my read through the New Testament plan a few words caught my attention.  The first is Jesus saying "I am the door" or in some translations the gate.  He is the way that we gain access to the Father.  We know elsewhere that Jesus is the mediator between God and man.  We have access in and out, out to the world around us.

The second word is find pasture.  It is out in the world.  The picture brings you to Psalm 23 and the Good Shepherd.  The green pastures there are not the lush hillsides, but in the days of Jesus the shepherds led the sheep to hillsides that had sprouts of green among the rocks.  They couldn't remain in one place for days at a time or even one full day.  They were provided with enough for the day and depended on the shepherd to lead them pasture the following day.  The pasture is not the home, our home is with God and the good Shepherd leads us in and out, in to our home our abiding with Him and out into the world, the pasture, day by day.

The third word is from verse 10, abundantly.  It describes our life in Christ.  We have what we need but the focus is not on things, but on that relationship  between us and Jesus, us and God.  It permeates and overflows into every area of our life and it touches, reaches others.

Max Lucado writes, "As the door of the sheep, Jesus is the only means of coming home to God and becoming a member of His household.  Jesus is the merciful and good Shepherd who provides shelter, security and pasture for His beloved sheep." 

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

John 10:6-10The Message (MSG)

^6-10 Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about. So he tried again. "I'll be explicit, then. I am the Gate for the sheep. All those others are up to no good—sheep stealers, every one of them. But the sheep didn't listen to them. I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.