Abounding

Exodus 34:6
And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth."


Psalm 103:8
The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.


1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brethern, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.




When I was first studying to write this, the main word which kept playing in my mind was Abundance.  I was looking up words and scripture which dealt with Abundance and suddenly in front of me was such a pattern I knew God was pointing me in another direction...Abounding.


I know when you first think about it, there doesn't seem to be much difference between the two.  In thinking about abundance, my mind naturally goes to the things physically around me.  My home, cars, finances, even books or food.  It isn't that I am a materialistic person, only thinking in what I can surround myself with, that part of our person, however small, is in each of us.  It is normal when thinking about something being abundunt, to think of the tangible, what is right in front of our face which we see, feel, taste, and use everyday.


Abound is even listed by Websters Dictionary as "to be present in large numbers or in great quantity".  But when I think abound, or actually, abounding...my mind seems to think more of my Father, God.  The thing which comes to my mind first is abounding in me.  Whether it be the Holy Spirit abounding in me, or the teachings of God abounding in my heart, or His peace abounding around me.


"Abounding in goodness and truth, abounding in mercy, abounding in the work of the Lord"


How wonderful we are, as His beloved children, to have so much!  I have God, Himself, in my very being.  I live because of His breath in my body, His Spirit in my soul! 


When we are full of the Father and all He is, let us be as the cup runneth over.  Let us spill His mercy and goodness onto others.  When we are abounding in Him with every part of our lives, we in turn come back to abundance.  We are so full of God, we have some to give.  Just the example we show in our everyday behavior may be the only "God" others see in their lives.  That small word to which we don't give a second thought, could be the very thing to make someone's day or the very last straw which breaks that same person down.  We need to be the abundance in someone else's life.  As God gives Himself to us, let us share our Wonderful Father with others. 


I am by no mean's a Pastor or even a Teacher, I am but a simple person learning her own worth in the eyes of my Holy Father and searching to find Him in every part of my being.  I am learning how to measure myself by my Jesus; trying to be the child I can to make my Father proud.  I want to be the person another can meet one time and realize, "there is something different about her".


That's right, there is something different!!  I am abounding in my Precious Creator, the Lord God...and that is more wonderful than any material possessions made by any man on earth!   

Forgiveness

Mark 11:25

"And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses."

I keep hearing the word forgiveness going through my head. 

We know as children of God, one of the main things we need to do is ask our Father to please forgive us for the things we do to sin.  We often focus on making sure we are "covered".  Sometimes I wonder if we give in too often to sin since we know we can ask for forgiveness and then be forgiven.  I am not referring to obvious sins such as theft, murder and things such as that.  I am referring to small, daily sins we often commit and don't even realize they are there.  Judging others in word or thought, gossiping about people and situations we know nothing about, and even something so simple as not helping another in need. 

We are not able to help everyone and there are times alot of people have alot more than we do, but what about the kind word, the smile, and the inquiry as to how someone's day is going?  Often times those things make such a difference in another's day and life and there are times others really need someone to ask how they are.  If we see someone and feel the need inside to speak to them, God may know they need that kind word and we should heed His voice guiding us.  

Is there someone who has done something to you?  Have you forgiven them?  I mean really forgiven them?  There have been situations in my life, I have thought I have forgiven the people involved, but found I really had not.  It is easy to say, I forgive you, but really hard to mean it in your heart and to truly give that hurt over to God.  When I have not given it over to God, I find a situation comes up again and guess what, the prior hurts rear their ugly heads.  Suddenly adding to the pain, anger, etc. which I am presently going through are the pains, anger, etc. I thought I had let go of.  Hmmm.  Looks like it didn't get forgiven.

I have found when I really forgive another, God takes the pain which was caused and all the bad feelings and He erases them.  I know, a magic eraser??  Really, if you give all to Him, the next time they come to mind or you try to think about that period, time, experience, and so on, you will notice the hurt isn't as sharp.  The anger isn't as strong.  God is taking it away.  

We are human.  Yes, really we are.  God knows this.  He understands us so much better than we could ever understand ourselves.  He made us.  He knows how hard it is sometimes to give up and give over.  It is ok...He is there for us.  I'll make an agreement with you, I will try very hard to forgive others and myself and ask God to please help me....if you will.

Lean on Him to help us forgive others, forgive ourselves and by His Love be forgiven.