More than enough

Last week I had been so looking forward to a planned cuppa and catch up with one of my best friends.  She is a busy girl and so our times together are not a frequent thing these days, but that just makes them even more precious.  The date had been in my diary for some time, and then postponed by a day due to a work related complication, but the morning finally arrived.  With anticipation I texted her to find out what time she finished work and whether she would like me to cook her some dinner.  She responded that if there was enough that she would love some dinner. I replied “Always more than enough!”. And it’s true you know, we always have plenty.  Especially on pizza night.

Joshua chapter 19 continues  with the different tribes of Israel receiving their share of the promised land.  I think I commented last week that everyone got a chunk but that not everyone’s allotment was identical.  I read this in verse 9…

“The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the share of Judah, because Judah’s portion was more than they needed.  So the Simeonites received their inheritance within the territory of Judah.”

Isn’t that just beautiful? – the inheritance that Judah received was so generous that the Simeon’s tribe could have their portion out of it and there was still plenty to go round. What a great picture of the grace of God in our lives. We have been given so much that we have more than sufficient, indeed we are overflowing with extra to give away!  Obviously this required illustrating in my bible with a set of Russian dolls because …. well Russian dolls!  Just when you think you’ve seen the extent of the doll you discover there is room inside for another. And another, but only when you open them up.  It reminds me of the story of Jesus feeding the vast crowd with one small boy’s packed lunch – and as He gave thanks and shared there was more than enough –  12 baskets of left overs!!

Did you know that God is the God of more than enough?  His sufficient grace is not a barely scraping by, eeking out, modest and reasonable portion – it is an overflowing, lavish, abundant grace, that the more you give away the more you discover you had to give. Pressed down shaken together and running over! What have you been given as your portion this week?  Life, time, food, money, wisdom, strength, health, joy, freedom… the list goes on. And who could receive an inheritance from within what you have received this week? It might mean you bake a cake, or pick up the phone, or write a cheque (do people still even write cheques?) You may listen carefully or speak wisely, share the gospel, smile at a stranger, pray for a friend…   Freely we have received more than enough so freely we share with Simeon (or Claire or Dafydd).

In the book of Colossians the apostle Paul writes this wonderful prayer for the church, and this is my prayer for each of you this week:

“May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.  He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Col 1:11-14

I love how my friend Phil puts it – “Free people free people”. I hope you have a great week with more than enough to share.  Thanks for reading. Love Rach. x