Easter, there is not a more abundant gift. Jesus knowingly, willingly bore the excruciating pain of the cross on my behalf, opening the way for me to experience the love of God, for me to experience the abundant life.
Thank you, Larry Lorimor
For the past few months, Ephesians 3:20 has been capturing my thoughts and my heart.
“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly,
than all that we ask or think,” (bolding mine)
FMA (far more abundantly) has become my signature line reminding me every time I sign my name.
I’ve started a new collection of scriptures that speak of God’s abundance. Many familiar ones are coming alive all over again.
A New Favorite
Easter, Resurrection Sunday, is the pinnacle of God’s abundant goodness.
But often I struggle to grasp the gift of God’s abundance.
What have I experienced that has been more abundant than anticipated?
When have I been overwhelmed by his abundance?
How has God revealed his abundance to me?
Questions like these are often the stepping stones helping me grasp God’s far more abundant resurrection love.
It was a winter morning and I was comfortably ensconced in an overstuffed chair facing the fireplace, its yellow and orange flames dancing before my eyes. I was alone, the quiet a gift that morning.
I opened the Brennan Manning book I was reading. The first words my eyes rested on jumped off the page and into my heart.
“I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me.”
Song of Solomon 7:10
My next thought followed closely, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31.
“Abundance and plenty stir the heart, provoke praise, and fuel deep gratitude.” Ruth Chou Simons.
Thank you, Paula Kaufman
That morning once again, I experienced God’s far more abundant love. I was overwhelmed. It was a stepping stone for me to grasp the depth of God’s heart, of grasping the abundant gift of the resurrection.
“Oh how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!”
May the far more abundant gift of the resurrection grasp your heart this Easter.
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life … Do you believe this?'”
John 11:25, 26
“but these are written so that you my believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God,
and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
John 20:31
In the absence of being able to have the traditional Palm Sunday kid’s processional, the kids of our church had mom or dad take a short video of them waving “palm” branches, or evergreens, or green painted hands (palms). I bet this will make you smile.
copyright, Sue Tell, April 2020