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The "est"

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. - John 10:10 NIV

This week I had the chance to share a short devotional in our Anchor House staff meeting. It was about this word "thrive" that God has put on my heart for this year and in this new chapter.  The word "thrive" can be defined as "to grow or develop well, to prosper, to flourish." 

When I think about thriving in God's kingdom, John 10:10 comes to mind.  But I must admit that I have struggled with what it says.  It says "life to the full" and I want it to say "life to the fullest". Isn't that what the world tells us to do? Live life to the fullest?  We are supposed to be the strongest, the richest, the smartest, prettiest, or any other "est". I want to compete. I want to live life to the fullest.

That's not the way God's kingdom works.  It's not a competition. Jesus died and rose from the dead so that we may have life to the full. Mine is not better than yours and yours not better than mine.  At the feet of Jesus, we are all equal. We all get the same reward when Jesus is our Lord and Savior. We all get what we don't deserve. We each receive a new forever. 

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

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. - John 5:24

As we go through the daily grind, I pray we shift our perspective. The life we are promised in Jesus is a life to the full not the fullest. We're not in competition but in service. We are in process. Life to the full means thriving. Life to the full is filled with a growth, development, and prosperity that is only found with Jesus Christ. 

Be blessed and be a blessing,
Matt
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