And the crumbs kept coming

 

This morning, I sent out a short text message about a blessing I received and for some reason it really resonated with the majority of those I sent it to, and so I wanted to share it here and elaborate on it a little more.

I don’t know why it is so, but I am always amazed at the “common mercies” of God. Does anyone else find this to be the case? We really shouldn’t be surprised when God drops little blessings into our laps, after all, he reminds us over and over in Scripture of his goodness and his faithfulness to his children. And yet, we marvel.

Let you share with you the example I shared this morning. For those who’ve already heard it, stay with me as I expound on it a little more.

Tonight, we are having some old friends over for a meal, and one of the favourites in our family is crumbed steak. It is a laborious job of preparation but so very worth it! Shout out to my wonderful mother-in-law for teaching me the skill as a newlywed.

Anyway, I dashed into Woolies to grab a few things for the dinner and dessert and was frustrated to find that there were no breadcrumbs to be had. I knew I had almost a full packet at home, so I hoped it would be enough for the huge mound of steak I was preparing. I was also planning on grabbing a pumpkin, but to my dismay, they were nowhere to be found either.

Grabbing a bag of carrots instead, I carried on my way, making do with what I had, never stopping to ask the Lord to supply what I needed.  

Arriving home, I was surprised to find a very large pumpkin sitting on my kitchen bench and came to find out that a lovely lady at our local butcher, where our daughter used to work, had kindly given it to her. Blessing number one.

This morning, I busied myself in the kitchen, baking a cake, and laying out the necessary ingredients to start my production line of crumbing the steak. (On a side note, I really do miss those days with my daughters as we worked down the line together, pounding, beating, tossing, frying and eating the little testers as we went.)

I decided I would just crumb as much as possible and then go to plan B which would probably include toasting bread and turning it into crumbs. Not a difficult task, but just another thing to do.

Blessing number two. Just as the widows’ pot of oil didn’t run dry until the need was met, my pan of crumbs just kept crumbing, one piece after another was tossed in, crumbed and set aside. And then, as another was added, there was still more. As I crumbed the last piece, I marvelled that I still had some crumbs leftover and wondered if I had had more steak, would the Lord have kept on supplying more crumbs?

This endless supply humbled me. I had not even thought to ask God to provide what I needed and yet he did. And abundantly. Graciously. Lovingly.

It made me think of one of my favourite verses.

Ephesians 3:20-21 KJV - Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

God is able to do over and beyond what we ask, but not only that, also what we think, and I might add, what we don’t even think to think!

He supplied what I needed when I didn’t even ask. God saw my need and he met that need.

This wonderful verse in Ephesians is such a beautiful promise. If you look back to verse 14 and following in this chapter, you’ll see that they are part of a prayer by Paul to the church at Ephesus.

Paul prays for the saints at Ephesus that they may be strengthened by the Spirit, that Christ would dwell in their hearts, that they would be able to comprehend God’s amazing love to them and that they would be filled with the fulness of God.

And then, he writes these powerful words that we find in verse 20.

Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us..

The Greek word used for exceeding, is the word ‘hyper’.  If any of you reading this have a very active child, you will know all about that word hyper. It has the idea of over, above and beyond. Hyperactive children don’t just do things. They DO things! Over, above and beyond what you expect. Nothing done half-heartedly. It’s over the top.

And strangely enough, Paul uses the Greek word again, in the same verse. He uses it for the word ‘above’. So, we have 2 hypers in the same verse! That’s seriously hyper!  I think Paul wants us to really grasp this idea of God giving us so much more than we ask.

Paul describes God as a God who can do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.

So, God doesn’t just do and give what we ask or think, but He goes beyond. Over and above. He gives exceeding abundantly above.  We can’t even begin to understand what God can do.

Matthew Henry puts it like this:

“There is an inexhaustible fulness of grace and mercy in God, which the prayers of all the saints can never draw dry. Whatever we may ask, or think to ask, still God is still able to do more, abundantly more, exceedingly abundantly more. Open thy mouth ever so wide, still he hath wherewithal to fill it.”

But an even more mind-blowing moment is the fact that it’s not just what we ask, but also what we think!

We don’t even have to ask it, and He sees into our hearts and our minds, and goes over, above and beyond to do exceeding abundantly, to do even what we think and haven’t even verbalised yet!

How many times have you prayed for something small, just a little thing, and God answered, and you thought to yourself, “Oh! I wish I had asked for more”. We pray our small prayers, hoping for a little drop of blessing and God pours out a colossal river of blessing from His vast treasure house and our puny, little bucket overflows, spilling out and filling others’ lives as we share what God has done.  And we’re left wishing we had lifted a swimming pool to heaven and asked for that to be filled!

God answers over and above all that we ask or think. He doesn’t just answer, He ANSWERS! And He doesn’t just bless, He BLESSES! His grace and mercy are inexhaustible. Unfathomable. Immeasurable. Incalculable. Incomprehensible. 

But wait there’s more!

God’s abundance is not limited to only a few. It never runs out! His wellspring of blessing is everlasting. It is unending. Unlimited. Boundless. So, this means, that no matter how many blessings He showers upon other’s lives, there is still enough for me. For you. For everyone. We don’t have to fear that His supply will run out. There’s no need to worry that by the time He comes to us, there is only a drop left.

No! He supplies over and above. EXCEEDING ABUNDANT!

These last 2 verses of Ephesians 3 are the end of the prayer for the church at Ephesus and here Paul sets a good example for us. Notice he is ending the prayer with praise. Praise to an awesome God. In verse 20, he describes God and what he is able to do and then in verse 21 he gives God all the praise.

Ephesians 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

It’s a good habit to get into. Not only beginning our prayers with praise, but also concluding our prayers with praise. To end our prayers with praise and thankfulness to God will bring glory to His name and have you rising from your knees with a grateful heart and a spring in your step.

Over the past couple of days, God has answered some BIG prayers that I have been praying about for the past 4 years. The answers took their time in coming, but God knew what he was doing, and his timing was in his control and the circumstances were under his hand.

And so, I want to encourage you to keep this verse in your minds and in your hearts and remember that God is able.

It doesn’t matter what struggles you may be facing, what burdens you may be carrying, what trials you may be suffering through, God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all!  It doesn’t matter how big or how small your prayers are, He is able.

Take heart. Stay faithful. Trust in His promises. Bring your cares to him.

Wait on him. Watch God work.

And when He does, give Him all the glory.

Revelation 7:12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.