“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

There is a thief, he is very real. He comes to us in very subtle ways, just as he came to Eve in the garden.

“Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” Genesis 3:1

He didn’t come to the garden that day to add value to her life. He came to steal something from her that she would never regain. He does the same to us each day of our lives. He comes to steal our life from us, to take that which matters the most.

He creeps in very subtly, he comes slowly taking from us one moment at a time. He eases himself into places he should never be allowed to enter. He takes over our time and our thoughts, filling them with so many things that soon God no longer has the place He once had. Moments once spent with God become focused on other things to the point we no longer spend time with Him. Soon we begin to doubt God’s word, the very promises that He gives to enable us to live the life Christ died that we might live. We lose sight of the life He has promised us.

The thief has entered our lives, robbing us of the life we once lived in our daily walk with the Father. Just as Adam and Eve hid from the presence of God, we do the same.

“And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.” Genesis 3:8

They heard the Father, but sin had taken over their lives. They were no longer comfortable in His presence. The life they had in Him had been taken. The abundance of life that He had created for them had become tarnished. The thief had come to destroy and he had succeeded. Or so he thought . . .

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” Revelation 2:7

“And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” Revelation 21:6

That they might have life . . .