Exceedingly and Abundantly Above All

The use of alliteration has the power to transform a mundane observation into a profound maxim.  Just because words rhyme, however, does not mean they are necessarily true.  One such statement I heard years ago is, "If your mind can conceive it and your heart can believe it, you can achieve it."  While there can be correlation between committed drive to meet a goal and ultimate success, effort alone is no guarantee of a positive result.  Many people have dreamt big and invested their all, yet they failed to achieve all they hoped.

This prescriptive formula does not account for the many people who achieved and accomplished exploits beyond their wildest expectations.  Looking back they plainly admitted not conceiving in their minds nor holding  belief in their hearts for all that later eventuated.  It can be satisfying to work towards goals and the achieve them, but the believer is called to realise all our ability and fruitfulness for our efforts is by the grace of God.  As it is written in Deuteronomy 8:18, "And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day."  Joshua was able to say at the end of his days not one word failed from God's good promises, for all God said had come to pass.   It isn't the visionary or humanist that actually accomplishes anything, for whether man realises it what we may call success is all by God's grace.

Do you know your wildest dreams cannot compare to what God Who exceeds all expectations knows and plans?  We ought to pray for the desires of our hearts God has placed there, but know He is not in any way hindered by our short-sighted vision and plans.  Paul says God is able to do exceedingly above all that we ask or think in reference to heavenly, enduring riches that are beyond price.  He wrote in Ephesians 3:14-21:  "For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, ¹⁶ that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷ that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--¹⁹ to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.²⁰ 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, ²¹ to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

How many things Paul lists here we would not have considered to ask for a birthday or Christmas present:  strength through His Spirit, to have Christ dwell in our hearts by faith, to be rooted and grounded in God's love, that we could understand with all believers the fullness of God's love beyond reckoning, and to be filled with the fullness of God.  By the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit Paul prayed for these things, and God would be faithful to do more still.  That is the power of God that is at work in the mind and heart of every believer, and the work God has begun He will be faithful to complete.  Isn't it wonderful to know to God will "be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever?"  It is also written in 1 Corinthians 2:9-10:  "...Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." ¹⁰ But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God."

We are called to believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God, not to conceive or achieve.  Even if we conceive the most awesome things imaginable God and His plans are infinitely greater; and should we achieve anything it is not our plans coming to pass which are worthy of notice because God can do everything.  Our ability to think, the measure of faith we possess and all achievements we might receive credit for are accomplished by God and He is worthy of all glory.  He reveals, strengthens, indwells, instructs and does in and through us "exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think."  Praise the LORD!

Someone Loves Ned

Early this morning during a walk I happened upon an unexpected sight.  It wasn't the sliver of a moon hanging overhead or the mist which couched in the low lying fields that surprised me:  it was repeated declarations of love emblazoned in white and blue chalk all across the bitumen road that read, "I love Ned."

I was amused as I walked over the writing of someone who clearly was smitten by "Ned."  It made me wonder who this "Ned" was, if it was a person, dog, cat or skink.  Was "Ned" aware of this love written so boldly with elaborate lettering, or were these affections still a secret to him?  I considered what Ned must have done to have such devoted persistence to declare this love so willingly and passionately.  The last proclamation was even more personal:  "I love my Ned."  Let's just say these messages made me curious about Ned and his chalky admirer.

As I finished the walk, my thoughts went back to the chalk messages proclaiming to all a love of "Ned."  It gave me pause to consider if my words and deeds are such a bold declaration of love for Jesus.  Wouldn't it be a wonderful thing for lives of Christians to provoke such curiosity about Jesus Christ who loves us, who demonstrated His love for all people on the cross?  His declaration of love was far greater and enduring than messages written in chalk, for Jesus shed His own blood to save us sinners.  As wonderful and worthy as Ned might be to be loved, Jesus Christ is the most worthy of all.

I might never know who Ned is or meet him myself, but the glorious truth is everyone can know Jesus by faith in Him.  We do not need to see Jesus face-to-face, shake His nail-scarred hand or embrace Him to know He is real because He has revealed Himself to all in the word of God and through the love of His disciples.  Because Jesus gives all who trust Him eternal life, we will one day meet and all be together forever.  May people say of us believers, "Boy, they sure do love Jesus."  Oh, how I love Jesus, and I pray you would love Him too.

God Our Shield

"But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You. ¹² For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favour You will surround him as with a shield."

Psalm 5:11-12

All who put their trust in the LORD have great cause to rejoice forever.  I like how David's focus is not on the elimination of enemies and potential threats, but he urged believers to shout for joy because God was like a shield that surrounded and protected His people from all harm.

It makes sense in a battle for a warrior to hold fast to sword and shield, but once the battle is over the sword could safely be placed in a scabbard and the shield set down.  David's delight in God as a shield is important because he viewed Him as necessary for life and every blessing.  God is greater than all our enemies in the physical and spiritual realms put together!  All attacks of enemies were as nothing as long as God protected him, and it is good to realise God also protects us.  No fiery dart can shatter the shield of faith we wield by the power of the Holy Spirit when we rely on Jesus Christ.

There were many shouts on the field of battle:  shrieks of terror, communication between officers and troops, and shouts of triumph.  We can shout for joy forever without fear, dread or worry because God's grace surrounds us like a shield.  There is not one aspect of our hearts, minds or lives that is beyond His grace to protect.  What confidence we can have in God regardless of enemies which come against us, whether it be a giant of great stature like Goliath, Rabshakeh who hurled threats and sought to erode confidence in God, Midianites who gathered like locusts too numerous to count, or Satan with subtle temptations.  Joy is a result of being born again by faith in Jesus, as it is a fruit of the Spirit.  To those God has imputed righteousness through the Gospel, we love Him because He first loved us.

Surrounded by God and His love and grace, what appears to be our doom from a worldly vantage point is only the means of drawing us closer to God.  Our rejoicing ought to be in the LORD--more than the vanquishing of our enemies or the protection afforded us by God.  We ought to acknowledge how the living God has richly blessed and protected us all our lives, and let us rejoice in Him.  He is worthy of all trust and praise forever, for He is the LORD of all who has surrounded us with grace as with a shield.

The One Who Lifts Up

"Many are they who say of me, "There is no help for him in God." Selah ³ But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head."

Psalm 3:2-3

How good it is to know we as followers of Jesus have help and enduring hope in God, the LORD who is a shield for us, our glory and the One who lifts up our heads.  David was not assured this hope because he was made king over Israel, for the same God was with him as a young shepherd and when he faced Goliath.  It was not his skill with sling and stone but God who granted him and all Israel the victory.  It is amazing people can think we are beyond help or hope (and sadly even we can be deceived to think such of others at times), yet when God lifts our head to behold Jesus, the One who was lifted up for our redemption now seated in glory, we are strengthened in the LORD to joyfully endure.

The phrase "lifted up the head" and variations of it are found many times throughout scripture.  At a glance the most common uses are to be exalted and promoted or to be lifted up in opposition.  Pharaoh lifted up the head of the cupbearer and restored him to his previous position of honour, whilst the head of the butler was lifted up when he was executed by hanging.  After God wrought a great victory over the Midianites at the hand of Gideon, Judges 8:28 says for 40 years the people of Midian were subdued and "lifted up their heads no more."  Evil-merodach king of Babylon "lifted up the head" of king Jehoiachin of Judah when he brought him out of prison, spoke kindly to him, changed his clothes, bestowed upon him honour and gave him food to eat continually all the days of his life (2 Kings 25:27-30).

David said it was the LORD God who was his shield, glory and lifter of his head.  God did the helping, exalting and strengthening.  Many have lifted their heads against God whom He will judge in due time, for all who walk in pride He is able to abase.  How blessed we are to have God's love and grace revealed to us to an infinitely greater degree than Pharaoh did for his cupbearer, David did for Mephibosheth or Evil-merodach did for Jehoiachin.  Lifting up our heads is more than coaxing us out of a depressed state, but He has spoken words of love and grace, promises we ought to take to heart and believe.  Jesus has released us from the bondage of sin and the curse of death which imprisoned us and led us into His marvelous light.  He has clothed us in righteousness by grace through faith in Him, and caused us to lie down in green pastures beside still waters with restored souls.  He has given us the Living Bread of Jesus Christ to sustain us day by day forever.  By the power of the everlasting Gospel we have been granted abundant life with God who will be our guide, shield, comfort and help for eternity.

Since God has lifted up our heads, should we justify being downcast over the trials God allows?  Should we give ear to enemies who surround us and say, "There is no help for him in God?"  Consider what Paul wrote in light of our glorious God in Romans 8:31-34:  "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? ³³ Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us."  Faith in God lifts our heads to behold Him, to fix our eyes upon Christ in praise and worship.  How we feel could be compared to a silky flag that indicates the direction of the wind, not a rudder to guide us or an anchor to hold us fast.  Having Christ as an anchor for our souls, guided by the truth of God's word and empowered by the Holy Spirit, let us respond with joyful gratitude to the LORD who lifts up our heads.