All Means ALL

I'm back from vacation and am already hitting the ground running. We've had an amazing 'stay-cation', which is defined as a vacation where instead of leaving to some exotic locale to spend time, money, energy, and memories, you stay home and play with your kids, sleep in, take walks, visit the beach and local restaurants, build forts with your son, read and sleep and sleep and read! One of my best friends called it a "poor-cation", and I have to agree:)

On my desk when I arrived back was an unexpected 'encouragement card' purchased from a Christian bookstore that applauded our efforts with the student ministries but also had some personal words of encouragement. I was humbled to read the words this parent wrote Jenn and I for our ministry to their children. But there was a verse at the bottom, printed as a post-script on the card. I read the verse and fell out of my chair.

2 Corinthians 9:8 "God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work". What an amazing encouragement from God's Word! For me this couldn't have been more timely and I know God used this at just the right moment to give me fresh wind in my sails and a new vigor in my step.

No matter what situation or circumstances you are enduring, you can rest in the promise that God is able to make ALL grace abound to you. You may feel that you have exhausted His grace because of your sin, that you are beyond the reaches of His grace. He wants you to experience the grace that is unmerited and undeserved and unending today.

The verse goes on to say that "in all things at all times, having all that you need..." What things are you struggling through today? What time is it in your life? Is it a tough season, a spiritual drought of disillusionment or confusion? Is it a time of growth and refining and sharpening and sacrifice? Is it a time of absolute abandonment and faith because your resources and options have come to an end, and you have to solely call upon God for even the strength to take the next breath? God says that in all things at all times, you will have all that you need.

The verse ends saying that 'you will abound in every good work'. He doesn't just promise that you will get by with a 'C' in your ministry. He doesn't suggest that you will do the bare minimum and get by with the skin of your teeth. He says that you will ABOUND, there will be an ABUNDANCE of fruit in your ministry, that we will reap a harvest of 30, 60, or one hundredfold IF we do not give up. Not only that, but God promises that we will abound in EVERY good work. No matter what we put our hand to, the Lord is faithful to bless it with His grace as we submit to Him by faith. Are you trusting Him today?

Pilgrim