I know I've mentioned this verse a lot recently (some of it in conversations), but I can't stop thinking about it.
"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."
These two verses tell us some incredible things about God and about us. Recently this verse has been a huge source of hope for me. It tells me that God is working in me. God's power is at work in my life. He is using me to bring about His Kingdom. He is molding me into the image of His Son. And He is using me to help others see who He is and how to become like Christ.
That in itself is an incredible blessing. That in and of itself is more than enough. But that information is second in this verse. It begins with the statement that God, who is working in us, is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think. Not simply what we ask and think, but far more. And not just far more, but far more abundantly.
That word, abundantly, means, "present in great quantity; more than adequate; oversufficient". In Greek the word is huper, and it means, "in behalf of, for the sake of; over, beyond, more than; more, beyond, over". God isn't able to just meet our needs, but to far exceed them in ways that go beyond what we would ever hope to imagine. And since He is at work in us already, God wants to do far more than we ask or think.
God wants to do great things in my life. God wants to do greater things than I could ever begin to think of in my life. And God is at work to bring them about. And He is doing the same thing in you. God wants to do far more abundantly beyond all that you ask or think. He wants to be oversufficeient. He wants to go over and beyond what you could ever ask Him for.
This thought just came to me. I had a friend who died of cancer almost six and a half years ago, (that's hard to believe it's been that long). So many people prayed for her healing. And God answered those prayers in a way that was greater than we had asked. He took her home, and healed her permanently. That was greater than anything we had asked for. Rather than giving her more time here, where countless illnesses and injuries could come, God took her to heaven, where she will never experience pain or sadness again.
Right now in life I'm focusing on these two verses. I have plans that have seemed perfect, but they haven't worked out. But I'm reminded that God has something far greater in mind. It might require some big changes, but it will be better than anything I could ever have imagined. That is the God I serve. He is God who doesn't do the minimum, but goes above and beyond. He doesn't hold back, but is incredibly generous. And so that leads to the question, why aren't things better?
Maybe you are imagining enough. Maybe you aren't asking. Maybe you're focused on the wrong thing or with the wrong motive. And maybe you're withholding praise.
This statement about God also comes with instructions to us. To God who is able to do far more abundantly than what we ask or hope for, "to Him be the glory". God must be glorified for what He has done, and more than that, simply for who He is. It isn't my job to make things happen. It isn't my job to complain when things don't work out. It is my job to glorify God, dream big, pray big, and watch Him work wonders beyond all of that. And for that I glorify Him all the more, and until it gets to that point, I glorify Him now.
God will do great things, and God will be glorified for the great things He does. Christianity is not about a God who does enough to get by. Look at salvation. There was a system in place that worked. For every sin a sacrifice had to be offered to pay for it. The Jews did it for thousands of years, and it was enough. But God went above and beyond. He became a man and offered Himself as the final sacrifice for all sin. That is how God works, that is who God is.
Glorify God, dream big, pray fervently, watch Him do incredible wonders.
"I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
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