Abundance, Abundant, Abundantly
I completed Trish and my tax returns recently, just four
days before the Tax Office deadline. A
relief!
While I was working on them I was aware how abundantly
blessed we are. We don't have lots of money or many fancy possessions but all
our needs are met (Luke 12:22-32) and
we are comfortable in our life. We have open hearts to give, and a great sense
of gratitude. We are so happy that Trish is a high school teacher which she
loves, this gives our main income. Also, we live in a blessed country where
there is a pension for old timers like me; my pension is small because of
Trish's earnings, but that's fine, it also gives me other benefits like
subsidised dental care and prescription medications, real blessings.
But mostly we see our abundance in our spirits and in
intangibles; we are in relationships which abundantly bless us. God saved both
of us from our sins and our sinful lives .. He brought us into His family
(Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:6); this is huge .. Jesus is not just our Saviour and
our Lord, He is our brother! We now know that we are very special, this gives
us vast affirmation .. we know who we
are and that we are precious because
God is so present to us, Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Acts 17:28). Our identity
is now in Jesus (1 John 3:1, 1 Peter 1:8), and He is the only perfect person who ever lived (1 Peter 2:22, Jude
24)!
In every fibre of our being we know that were especially
created to be God's beloved!
Last weekend was wonderful, three people in our immediate
family had birthdays .. Trish on the Friday, Anlia on Saturday and Tom on
Sunday. We all honoured each other, then on Sunday, Trish, Becky and I borrowed
Frankie and Anlia's kayak and had fun on the river.
At what seemed to be the last minute, the family decided to get
together on the Monday for dinner. I offered to cook with everyone coming here.
(This is one of the abundances of not having a regular job, I am available to
help).
Largely from the freezer and the pantry I made chicken
cacciatore for our main course and served it with linguine and a great salad
Trish put together. Becky brought a big, delicious garlic bread. I saw a pecan
pie in our local bakery so bought that as the birthday cake, it just needed
three candles for three birthdays (Jude and Hamish had such fun blowing them
out again and again!) We also had heaps of berries, cream and ice cream so
there were lots of desserts. Twelve shared our table .. conversations and
laughter filled our house and hearts. Such a simple meal, quickly put together,
yet a feast because we were there and
we share love and care for one another. So lovely. Abundant. Thank you Jesus.
Favourite Scriptures
"Surely goodness
and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the
house of the Lord for ever" (Psalm 23:6).
"And God is able
to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that
you need, you will abound in every good work" (2 Corinthians 9:8).
"When You give it
to them, they gather it up; You open Your hand, and they are filled with good
things" (Psalm 104:28).
"The Lord will
guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will
strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring
whose waters never fail" (Isaiah 58:11).
"For in the day
of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; in the secret place of His tent will
He hide me; He will set me high upon a rock" (Psalm 27:5).
"'I will refresh
the weary and satisfy the faint'" (Jeremiah 31:25).
"'.. for out of
the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks'" (Matthew 12:34).
P.S. One of the lovely
camps-by-the-sea in our Southwest where I go to write is called “Abundant
Life”, it is true to its name, beautiful, with gentle, Godly people (you just know that there is something different
about them), and the whole place is steeped in years of prayer .. Abundance ..
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Praise Jesus.
