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- Apr 25, 2006
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ABOUNDING
'... Always abounding in the work of the Lord' 1 Corinthians 15:58
Abounding is an old-fashioned word, but it simply means 'overflowing'. Outside of our life in Jesus, we are abounding with sin. There are no boundaries there, we rule by our own impulses and desires; kings of our own private jungles, rather than living and working for the King of Kings.
If that felt like a trip down memory lane for you, it wasn't meant to make you feel guilty, but grateful. It's good to remember how far you've come since Jesus took over the show, and keep in mind where God has brought you to. Because what was His solution for your sin? Abounding grace: 'Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more' (Romans 5:20 NKJ).
Amazing. Really, amazing. God welcomed you into His amazing family with open arms rather than an angry heart, and showered you with love and blessings. What should be my response to that? How would you react if you were welcomed into a warm, kind family, or community? Sit down. Rest. God's deepest desire is not that you run around serving Him (He doesn't need you to!), but that you would let Him love you.
When you live like that, in His abounding grace, you'll then naturally want to 'abound in the work of the Lord'! You'll be able to serve '... enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless' (1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT).
What now? Think your way slowly through that last paragraph. Then think about serving, not as what God wants most from you, but as a response to His love.
written by Bob Gass
'... Always abounding in the work of the Lord' 1 Corinthians 15:58
Abounding is an old-fashioned word, but it simply means 'overflowing'. Outside of our life in Jesus, we are abounding with sin. There are no boundaries there, we rule by our own impulses and desires; kings of our own private jungles, rather than living and working for the King of Kings.
If that felt like a trip down memory lane for you, it wasn't meant to make you feel guilty, but grateful. It's good to remember how far you've come since Jesus took over the show, and keep in mind where God has brought you to. Because what was His solution for your sin? Abounding grace: 'Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more' (Romans 5:20 NKJ).
Amazing. Really, amazing. God welcomed you into His amazing family with open arms rather than an angry heart, and showered you with love and blessings. What should be my response to that? How would you react if you were welcomed into a warm, kind family, or community? Sit down. Rest. God's deepest desire is not that you run around serving Him (He doesn't need you to!), but that you would let Him love you.
When you live like that, in His abounding grace, you'll then naturally want to 'abound in the work of the Lord'! You'll be able to serve '... enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless' (1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT).
What now? Think your way slowly through that last paragraph. Then think about serving, not as what God wants most from you, but as a response to His love.
written by Bob Gass
