God’s Unending Favor

Without question there is more joy in the Christian life than in any other life.

Jesus said, “Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:9–10 NLT).

But the rich and satisfying life that Jesus spoke of consists of more than mere happiness. And it isn’t necessarily a long life, though it may be. Nor is it a life that is free from sorrow, heartache, and tragedy, because even Christians experience all of that.

Some people have the idea that Christians are supposed to be constantly smiling and laughing. But that isn’t the abundant life. There are times to laugh, of course, but there are also times to mourn (see Ecclesiastes 3:1–8).

The life that Jesus wants to give us is the contented life. And this contentment comes from the knowledge that the Good Shepherd is always looking out for our best interests. It is His great joy.

The psalmist David wrote, “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength” (Psalm 23:1–3 NLT).

Have you ever gone to the beach and watched the constant crashing of the waves on the shore? It goes on all day and all night. Granted, some waves are better than others, as surfers would attest. But the waves keep coming and never stop.

That is a picture of the rich and satisfying life Jesus spoke of. It’s a life in which we’re content knowing that God’s grace is more than sufficient for our needs, that nothing can suppress it, and that God’s favor toward us is unending.

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