Exceedingly, Abundantly Above All
Exceedingly, Abundantly Above All
There is a scripture in the Bible that says, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” (Eph. 3:20) I have known this scripture for years. I have read it, heard people speak about it, and studied it. But recently, I found myself in the midst of it.
My beautiful daughter was married last weekend in what was the perfect fairytale wedding. It was truly an incredible day. There were so many special moments that I never want to forget. I have replayed so many things over in my mind and feel incredibly blessed. As you flip through the photographs the love we all have for one another is evident. The bond between my three children is strong and sweet. The way each of their mates fit perfectly into our family is amazing. The laughter that exudes from our precious grandchildren is divine. And the love of those who went out of their way to share this special day with us is truly a gift!
Before the wedding planning ever began, my daughter made it clear that she wanted everything about this special day to bring honor and glory to the Lord. Scripture was a part of the décor. Godly wisdom was shared throughout the marriage ceremony. Communion was their first act as a newly married couple and before the crowd was dismissed the gospel was shared. I do not tell you this to say ‘look at us and how great we are’. No! I share it to say ‘look at Him! Look how good God is!’ As I reflect back on this day, it is as if God was showing me, "See! I told you so! All you had to do was trust Me!" Now, more than ever, I realize that God will do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or hope.
You see, these photographs are just a part of the story. What is missing is all that we have gone through to get us to this point. If you do not know us well, you may not know that each one of us in this family has messed up. We have all made mistakes. We have endured heartbreak. We have all felt like we have failed. We have had times of struggle and times of suffering. We each have hang-ups and baggage that our life experiences have left us to bear. We have argued and yelled and stormed off. Our behavior is not always as pretty as the pictures you may see. And to be totally honest – in my wildest dreams I never dreamt we could be where we are today. So, YES! I am sharing this to say to you, 'Look how good God is!' He is a promise keeper! He can and He will do exceedingly, abundantly above all we can imagine.
We read God’s word, we hear His promises - yet, we never really think they are for “me”. I remember a time in my life where my heart was broken and I was truly suffering. I just couldn’t see past it. It was hard to believe that the pieces of my shattered life could be put back together. I recall sobbing and my oldest – who was only 18 at the time saying, “Mom, God will use this for good. I know it seems impossible, but He will.” (Romans 8:28) She was right! I knew that verse by memory - but I had forgotten it was meant for me. However, God is faithful! He has heard every prayer we have cried out to Him. Every heartbreak, every struggle, and every tear we have shed, God has used to grow us closer to Him; to grow us closer to one another; to transform us a little bit closer to who we are called to be; and to help us find the unique purpose He has for each of us. But, the reality is this is not the end of the story. We have no idea what our future holds, but we do know WHO holds our future and we can trust Him as we walk through it.
So, today if you are feeling a little hopeless, can I tell you that God is at work preparing the way for your hope to be restored. If you are wandering and are not sure what God has for you, He already knows what your future holds. He is just waiting for you to get ready to receive it. And if you are feeling messed up – He will take your mess and make something beautiful that will blow your mind. All you have to do is surrender your way and let God have His way in you. You may be thinking, "But, you don't know what I have...". Can I just tell you - it doesn't matter. No matter what you have done, His grace is bigger. No matter have far you have run away from Him, His love is bigger. No matter how hopeless you are, His promises and plans for you are way bigger. He already knows we are not perfect. But the One who IS PERFECT is ready to do some perfecting in all of us. Are you ready? Let's do it! It may not always be easy. Matter of fact, it will surely be hard. But He will be faithful to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we can ask, think, or even dare to dream!
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