Abundance

Daily Gratitude Year 6- Day 148: Today, I am grateful for abundance.

If you have ever gardened or farmed, you know that you can do the same thing two years in a row, but the outcome is not always the same. The variables of rain, heat, bugs and even soil conditions can vary. There are complicated plans for getting the most of the land, but some years we have a humble, meager crop and other years, there is abundance. In the worst years, there is not much crop at all. 

Think of tomatoes and zucchini. When abundant, you can't hardly give them away. Is it any wonder that we have learned to cook them in so many different ways. Abundance makes sharing so easy.  

Do I remember to give thanks in abundance? 

The year I chose "enough" as my one little word to ponder and pray about, it seemed to draw my focus away from abundance. Yet, the scriptures talk of abundance, so it is not wrong to savor it, too. 

One of the great discoveries in abundance is this scripture:

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." -John 10:10

Jesus changed things by walking in our human skin. His death and resurrection shocked the world and two thousand years later, he is still changing lives. This verse sums it up in just two sentences in a way I have never noticed before. 

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy." Satan is a liar. God gave Moses the ten commandments... twice... so that the people might have a simple version of how to live a good, abundant life in him. The first four are about how to love and respect God. The final six are God's guide to living with each other in harmony. Jesus gave us the "Spark Notes" version when he said, "Love God. Love each other." 

The thief that steals our joy and abundance, does so with lies. He tells us life should be fair. We should all be size 8. We should all have half million dollar homes. We deserve to be "happy" at the expense of others. If "no one knows", or the lie is little, it won't matter. Satan is a liar. 

 "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." Living within the framework of the Ten Commandments or the Golden Rule. 

"Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets." -Matthew 7:12 

The essence... the intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of the laws of God... they can fill our lives with goodness and abundance when we choose them. Not accidentally, but by praying, pondering and pursuing their truths. Do this, and abundance follows. 

Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
-Mark 12:29-31

When walking in step to the spirit, our concept of what abundance means may change. In fact, it will change. 

So many with affluence and wealth end up being slaves to addictions and are perpetually dissatisfied. It is profoundly sad. The feelings of "I own the world." and "I can buy anything I desire." do not lead to happiness. They can buy minutes of pleasure, but good feelings vanish faster with each luxurious purchase... until the happy feelings are less than fleeting seconds on the clock. This world cannot truly satisfy what the soul desperately craves. 

He is our soul's missing piece. When we recognize him as Lord, we have contentment, joy and abundance. It is not what we deserve, but what he longs to pour into our lives because he loves us. We fear meeting him in confession of our sins, but he already knows them.  He loved us enough to take our place when our sin required a sacrifice. The righteous part of God's character cannot be ignored. He longs for us to live amazing lives. Free from the weight of our failures.

I thank God every day I don't get what I deserve. His love and forgiveness pour abundance into each and every day, no matter the circumstances we might face in a world that does not recognize him as King. Someday, the world will. The hour grows closer. We live in hope and without fear... with abundance... no matter our circumstances. 

Today, I am grateful for abundance.