Blessed beyond measure

No eye has ever seen and no ear has ever heard and it has never occurred to the human heart all the things God prepared for those who love Him. God has shown us these profound and startling realities through His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep mysteries of God. Who can see into a man’s heart and know his thoughts? Only the spirit that dwells within the man. In the same way, the thoughts of God are known only by His Spirit. You must know that we have not received the spirit of this rebellious and broken world but the Spirit that comes from God, so that we may experience and comprehend the gifts that come from God. (I Corinthians 2:9-12) 

All manner of "things" God has prepared for our enjoyment surround us. ALL specifically placed in our life for our enjoyment - and for our growth!  Why do I think all things placed in our life are for our growth?  Have you tried to be mature and responsible for the many blessings you have received and observed how ridiculously hard it can be to "handle" what life throws your way at times?  We may not think of the "things" God places in our lives as being those things he has prepared for our growth and development, but even the simplest of God's blessings has a profound impact in the life of the one who will learn to look for the blessing "inside" his blessing!

The human heart is incapable of fully knowing (recognizing) and understanding (having all the "background" information) all the blessings God has prepared in our lives.  If we were to take up a journal and pen, we'd soon fill the pages with notes accounting for all manner of blessing.  As we'd begin that process, we'd begin to discover this blessing opened the door for that one, then another came along on its heels, until the list just mushroomed - because God's blessings are limitless and his care over our lives is without measure!  Yet, God wants us to come into an appreciation of the blessings and gifts he has placed into our lives - so he sends his Spirit to dwell within us to show us those deep mysteries of his blessing and goodness.  Why?  God wants us to experience AND comprehend the gifts that come from him. He wants us to enter into them, but also to see the ways they actually help us to grow and mature in his grace, love, and mercy.

Consider all those things God has prepared for each of us.  In the most literal sense, preparation involves this sense of pre-planning.  There is some thought which goes into the process that considers the detail necessary to ensure the "thing prepared" is specifically orchestrated for the one it is prepared to bless.  God doesn't just go to the pantry, pull out a 'canned blessing' and send it our way!  He has laid up those blessings way in advance, preparing even the "order" in which we will receive them into our lives.  Preparation requires some "readying" of the subject who will receive and the object which will be received. There is a process of preparation which is underway right now for the next thing God has "readied" for our lives.

The most amazing part of the preparation God is doing in our lives is that we are not even aware of the groundwork being laid to prepare the way for the next thing he has for us! Most of us don't understand the weather, but we learn to read the signs of the weather.  If the wind begins to pick up, we know we may realize a little cooling or even the entry of some clouds along with those winds.  We might dress a little differently, making "preparation" for the possibility of a change in weather which could bring rain, snow, or something in between.  We pick up a sweater, maybe an umbrella, and make our way to the office as usual. God doesn't always give us clarity of what he is doing, does he?  Sometimes his movement in our lives is kind of like that beginning of the weather change - there is a hint things are about to be different (changed), but we don't really know what that entails or how much change will be coming our way.  We prepare what we are able to prepare, in ways we can understand with our minds and appreciate with our hearts. The rest is up to him!

Even times where it appears there is no sign of growth, preparation is underway.  Theroux said, "Winter is a season of recovery and preparation."  Those times when we don't see the preparation occurring may actually be times when God is laying the groundwork - allowing recovery to occur so we are ready for the next thing he has prepared which our heart and mind will find challenge and discovery within.  Discovery of God's heart isn't by chance - it is because there is preparation!  In finding his heart, we might just discover the blessing he has prepared!  Just sayin!

A little arithmetic for you

The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings. (Eric Hoffer)

Those who gather crops on time are wise, but those who sleep through the harvest are a disgrace. Good people will have rich blessings, but the wicked will be overwhelmed by violence. Good people will be remembered as a blessing, but evil people will soon be forgotten. (Proverbs 10:5-7)

Have you ever stopped long enough to think about your blessings? When you engage in this process, you will likely realize many of those 'blessings' came through very hard work. It wasn't that you 'achieved' those blessings on your own, though. God gave you both the ability and know-how to achieve them. Blessings come in the form of accomplishments, people, and even physical things we can see and touch. The greatest of blessings may just be the peace we experience each day as we settle into the arms of Jesus and enjoy just a little time in his presence.

It may feel like life overwhelms us from time to time - leaving us thinking all of God's blessings have left our lives. This is the furthest thing from truth - for many of God's greatest blessings seem to come through the hardest of times. Why might that be? If we are truthful with each other on this one, we might just have to admit the 'hard times' actually bring us to our knees. They cause us to reach out to God in new ways, with greater tenacity, and in increasing measure. It isn't that God wants us to endure hard times - it could be that he allows them on occasion because he knows they will drive us deeper into his arms.

What drives you into the arms of Jesus? Is it the 'not knowing' of uncertain times? Could it be the 'not feeling loved' moments when you realize you are alone and without companionship? Might it be the 'disgusted times' when you knew you should have made another choice, but followed your feelings instead of the prompts of the Spirit of God within? Regardless of 'what' drives you into the arms of Jesus, it can be the place of our greatest blessings. We need those moments, but sometimes we don't take the seek them on our own. If we are challenged into his arms, it is okay. If we come willingly and with great delight, it is better! Just sayin!

Counting one by one

The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings. (Eric Hoffer) There is an old hymn of the church whose words echo: "When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done." (Johnson Oatman, Jr.) If you have never heard the hymn, or it has been a very long time since you sang it, there is benefit in a little "refresher" on the words! The final stanza says much: "So, amid the conflict whether great or small, Do not be disheartened, God is over all; Count your many blessings, angels will attend, Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end."

The godly are showered with blessings... (Proverbs 10:6a NLT)

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. (Ephesians 1:3-6 NLT)

It isn't that God is "going to" bless us, it is that he has already showered us with his blessings! Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms is given to us already simply because we are joined with Christ through grace. Considering that for just a moment, there is nothing any of us needs that isn't already provided. I didn't say that we have all we want, because our "want" is often a little "overboard" on occasion. We can "want" a whole lot of things, but some of what we "want" will actually do us more harm in the end if we were to obtain everything we wanted! God is interested in meeting our needs - in "showering" us with the blessings of heaven - through Christ Jesus. That means we cannot experience these same blessings if we are not joined with Christ - they are "conditioned" upon that union!

As Hoffer said, the hardest "math" to learn is this "arithmetic" of actually "summing" or "counting" our blessings. For me, these blessings begin with my redemption, but in God's eyes, even my existence or "birth" is a blessing. The fact that I have experienced "new birth" is a double-blessing! What are your blessings? In rather short order, you might begin to compile a list of the "things" you see before you - a nice home, reliable automobile, good job. Then you might gravitate to the people God has placed in your life and list them as "significant" blessings. Eventually, your list ends, doesn't it? You are all "counted out", so to speak. Yet, you have neglected to account for some very significant blessings you didn't even know you had been a recipient of such as the time God's hand diverted that speeding driver from clipping your car, or the many times you just breathed a moment or two between the hectic rush of life.

We take for granted so many of our blessings. We recount a few, at best, but often overlook those that didn't rise to the level of "memorable moments" forever trapped in the recesses of our minds. The birth of our children, the day we walked the aisle to receive our diploma, or the time we were snatched away from the edge of the cliff just before falling into some temptation, these are easily remembered. I sometimes quip with my BFF about my "rememberer" being a little broken. My memory (and yours) traps away so much, but when asked to recount what is in there, it can sometimes be difficult. God wants us to take inventory of his blessings to us quite often - so we form memories of his grace and provision. The more we consider his grace, the more we develop a sense of gratitude and gratitude sends the evils of discontent packing! Just sayin!

Squirrels hide their nuts - trees given them away!

Astonishment is a state of amazement, surprise, and overpowering wonder. If you have ever been astonished at the ways another acts when they don't seem to be concerned that anyone is watching them, or perhaps the totally selfless giving of another, you probably have experienced this sense of amazement or wonder on occasion.  Some ways we might experience such astonishment are when a newborn is brought into the world, the unexpected bonus is placed in our paycheck, or the small child takes his first steps.  What it does to us inside is often expressed on the outside.  We begin to emanate a kind of cheerfulness and glee.  There might be a moment of stilled awe, but eventually the emotions begin to bubble forth and the ability to contain our "awe" is no longer possible - it spills forth.  God has a way of bringing about such awe within us - delighting our soul, raising out spirit, and filling our thoughts with all types of wonder and awe.

God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it, "He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon.  His right-living, right-giving ways never run out, never wear out."  This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.  (2 Corinthians 9:8-11 MSG)

God's blessings are not just a matter for our own personal blessing - in fact, they are just the opposite.  Although we might enjoy them immensely, experiencing the tremendous awe they inspire within, we are given much so we might give much in return.  God's blessings in our lives are always more for the "other guy" than for our own enjoyment.  Even when his blessings come in the form of a transformed life - finally being set free from some enslaving habit - God wants us to "give" out of that transformation, so another might experience the same transformation!  

I like the expression "God is more than extravagant..." - it says it all, doesn't it?  "More than" expresses something we have a hard time laying hold of at times, because we live in a "finite" world and don't understand the "infinite" world of our God.  "Finite" blessings come to an end, don't they?  "Infinite" blessings have a way of continuing to "awe" us over and over again - even as those blessings spill over into the lives of others.  Extravagance is often thought of as being a little too much of an "over-spender", while stinginess is though of as just he opposite - being a little too much of an "under-spender".

God is neither - his "extravagance" is really just going beyond the bounds of what is deserved or is justifiable in our lives.  If we were at the mercy of God to "give" based upon what we deserved, we'd be miserable people!  If we were at the mercy of God to "give" based on what could be justified in our lives, we'd be working a long, long time to show some form of justification for the great gift he has given in his Son!  We neither deserve, nor are we justified to receive the gifts he bestows - this is why we call them extravagant!

It is because of his mercy and grace that we receive "out of" God's reckless abandon.  It isn't that God doesn't think before he shares his tremendous blessings with us - it is that he doesn't focus on whether we deserve them or not.  He focuses on what we need, not what we deserve.  That one thought should evoke a moment of awe in each of us - because we give based on what another "deserves" - what they have earned.  He gives based on what we could never earn and would never be good enough to deserve!  This is why we call his "gifting" as extravagant, awe-inspiring, and life-transforming!

God's purpose in blessing our lives is so we can give away what we have been given - a concept contrary to our natural instinct.  A few years back, I had the privilege of going to the Teen Challenge facilities here in Phoenix.  It was for something they called "Saturday Sunday School" - a bus ministry outreach to the areas of Phoenix plagued with poverty, gang activity, and socioeconomic issues.  These kids ranged from the little tots to the teens.  They'd come in droves - bus load after bus load.  

One thing which will never leave my heart was the unselfishness of the older brothers and sisters toward their younger siblings.  Cookies were shared, often with the older siblings going without - passing their cookies down the line in order that the younger would have their fill.  They "gave away" what others might have held onto or enjoyed themselves.  Why?  I think it was because they had learned to provide because the adults in their lives had not done a very adequate job of it themselves.  This example spoke deeply to me of how God goes about meeting the needs no other had the ability to meet. His sacrifice on our behalf was without boundaries - his eyes were on our need, not his own comfort.

I don't know about you, but God has given me many a "cookie" in my life.  I sometimes squirrel away what God gives, thinking it just for me.  Then there are other times I find I am passing it along so others may have their needs met in full.  I hope we all can become better at being less of a "squirrel" with God's extravagance in our lives.  Just sayin!