JUNE 19, 2014 - DAY 9 (Abundance)

For today's hour of God time, I decided to just pray for the hour. I didn't want to listen to a sermon and I didn't plan on reading my Bible unless I felt I was running out of things to talk about with God. 

So I began my prayer time with a few sentences (I don't remember what) and all of a sudden I said the word 'abundance' while praying for my friend and her family who recently lost her husband (and the kids their father). I realized God is not JUST enough...he's abundant! The definition of abundant is: existing or available in large quantities; plentiful. I love that. God isn't meeting their needs (emotional, spiritual, physical, etc.) with just getting them to scrape by. He's abundant for them. I don't know if they currently feel this way or not but that's okay. Grief is strong and the pain of losing a loved one is really hard. I hope at minimum God feels like enough. I hope more than anything though that he seems abundant through this hard time. As I was dwelling on this thought, it occurred to me that God is always abundant for us. That goes for my friend whose Mom passed away recently. That goes for my Uncle who was paralyzed a few months ago. That goes for my brother in law who has been paralyzed for almost 2 years. That goes for people we know whose daughter was recently diagnosed with leukaemia. The same will go for me whenever something really difficult comes my way.

After dwelling on how good God is, I thought about the very specific ways God has been abundant in all the people I know who are going through tough times. He has met monetary needs. He has given meaningful Scripture at the right times. He has sent friends to help. He has provided emotional stability to make it through the day and even the ability for some to go back to work. He helped sell a house in one afternoon. He has provided strangers that have become friends. He provided people to pray at the scene of an accident. He brought in people to have gone through similar situations. He has shown visions and dreams of healing. He has provided meals. He has provided air plane tickets. Abundance. We are not scraping by. God is abundant.

Last Fall, while burdened to pray for my brother-in-law and his physical state, God brought the story of Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20 to me. The quick story goes like this:

Jehoshaphat was a king of Judah. He learned that may armies were rallying together to fight him and his kingdom. He knew that their army could not defend the vast army coming. So he prayed and fasted, along with the people of Judah and inquired of the Lord what to do. A prophet spoke up and said that all they had to do was go out the next day and worship God and he would take care of the army. So they obeyed. They went out, worshipped God and did not have to lift a sword. Everybody on the opposing army dies by killing each other. Not one person of Judah was scratched. 

This story was incredibly encouraging to me because I felt such burden to pray against 'the vast army' (Satan and his demons) and that burden was lifted. At Christmas time I was given this story again. A great reminder that God was asking me to just worship him and let him do the work. 

So tonight I wanted the reminder. What did the story say again? So I found it and re-read it. A few key lines in the story include: 

Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.  The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him. - 2 Chronicles 20:3-4

I love that the king inquired of God what they should do. I also love that all the people came together as one to seek out the Lord. Beautiful. 

"We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” - 2 Chronicles 20:12

In their trials, they focused on God. What a great example to us. Just keep your eyes on God. (God reminded me of this the other night. In a storm, focus on his eyes.) 

"This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.  Tomorrow march down against them. ..... You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’” - 2 Chronicles 20:15-17

Can we not use this now for our battles? Can we not just praise the Lord despite the storms and the hardships?

So that's what I did. Despite the fact that my friend passed away and has left a grieving family, despite the fact that a friend lost her Mom, despite the fact that my uncle and brother in law are still paralysed and on and on the hardships are....I praise the Lord. Because he is still good. Because he is abundant. 

I listened to this song over and over again:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_dsZpcA2R8  - FOREVER by Chris Tomlin.

Here are the lyrics: (I bolded my favourite lyrics) 

Give thanks to the Lord
Our God and King
His love endures forever
For He is good, He is above all things
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
With a mighty hand
and outstretched arm
His love endures forever
For the life that's been reborn
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praise, sing praise

Yeah
Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever
Forever

From the rising to the setting sun
His love endures forever
By the grace of God
We will carry on
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praise, sing praise
Yeah
Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever
Forever
Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever
Forever
Forever

His love endures forever
His love endures forever
His love endures forever
Forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praise, sing praise
Yeah
Forever you are faithful
Forever you are strong
Foerver you are with us
Forever
And ever
Yeah

Forever you are faithful
Forever you are strong
Forever you are with us
Forever
Forever
You are God.....
Forever
And ever and ever ....