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| Digital images from "The Daily Digi"- layout created by Valerie Smith |
The past few years, I have joined the movement of choosing "one little word" (OLW) as a focus word for the year ahead. We are to pray on and discover the word over the course of the year. Last year my word was vision. This year, "enough" is the word I was given after some prayer and some thought. You may see it recur as a theme.
enough: as much or as many as required
I always ask the Holy Spirit to make things clear when choosing a path. As a safety girl... I want to be sure. The word... the concept... and the lifestyle of "enough" keeps being placed in my path. So, it will be my one little word for 2017.
On the front end of a year commitment, I always wonder if I will be bored with it by March or April. But, I am learning that one word is enough! (See how that worked out already.) I can learn so much if I pause, pray, listen, look and just sit still.
Why "enough"?
It truly began with an ah-ha moment while pondering the Lord's prayer. As a pattern for prayer, it is never worn out or exhausted. The line "Give us this day, our daily bread" is a prayer... not for abundance... but for enough.
Give us this day our daily bread. Matthew 6:11
I wonder if Jesus gave that thought and example of daily bread because of the 40 years the Israelite nation wandered in the desert. He provided them with their daily bread... fresh, new and enough each morning. They were not allowed to save and store it. They had to trust he would provide enough for the needs of each new day. No need to ration... no need to worry... HE promised enough.
They struggled with this: Exodus 16:20: "But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank." Yuck!
The people became bored with the miracle of enough...the manna for the moment. God was waiting for them to turn their eyes to him and love them with all their hearts. They just wanted to enter the Promised Land and finish the journey.
Who could blame them" Forty years is a long time. They wanted to check it off their "to do" list. God was trying to know them and grow them. They repeatedly neglected his presence and complained or pouted about his provision.
I know there are times that I am exactly like the Israelite people. I am no better. I want more than what he has provided... more than I need. He gives me more than enough every day.
In abundance, we can lose the value of the gift. It is easy in the seasons of plenty to ignore his sovereignty. Self reliance can quickly become self absorption. I am learning that it is in those seasons of having just “enough” that our hearts seem to open to his goodness, understand his mercies and recognize his present and engaged hand.
Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?-Matthew 6:26
"Lord, help me long for “enough” so I can know you are more."
Paul wrote this reflection in a letter to Timothy: But I received mercy for this reason, that ...his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. -1 Timothy 1:16-17
As with the Israelites... as with Paul... as with each one of us - His perfect patience waits for us to figure out who He is... and that He is our enough. Then comes the surprise...enough is more.
Today, I am grateful for one little word... and a God who provides my ENOUGH.
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