Marilyn and I have been packing up to go away. It’s always quite a process as there are lots of things to sort out that we will potentially need while leading our event.
At one point I was getting us some supper and chopped up some old bits of fruit to have with yoghurt, thinking that it was important we used things up before we left home. Suddenly a question popped into my head, ‘are you as diligent about using up your daily quota of grace as you are your old bits of food?’
I was startled, what a question and what did it mean? Could this be the Lord? As I continued to prepare supper my thoughts ranged over what the Lord might be asking me. Am I diligent to use up my daily quota of grace? To be honest it had hardly even occurred to me that there might be such a thing. It’s easy to peek into the fridge and see that there’s some ham or some raspberries that need eating, but grace? But even as I tried to dismiss the thought, I remembered Paul sharing what God put in his own heart about grace one day: ‘My grace is sufficient for you and my power is made perfect in weakness.’ (2 Corinthians 12:9) God was telling Paul that in Him, Paul would find there was sufficient strength, favour, help resources, enabling and overcoming power to strengthen him in whatever he was facing. What a wonderful promise! Sometimes we just want the problem removed and pray frantically to that end, but God sees the bigger picture and wants us to press into Him to use His grace as we face the problem and this strengthens our faith and causes us to grow.
I felt the Lord was emphasising the word ‘sufficient’ to my heart. It reminded me of when He miraculously provided the manna in the desert for the Israelites, so they’d have enough to eat every day. A day’s worth of manna was sufficient for their every need.They didn’t need to stockpile as the manna would not last for more than a day. Nor did they need to go hungry. There was always enough for each day. They had to gather what they needed every morning and there would be enough.
Do I consciously gather to my heart and life the fullness of God’s grace every day? He is saying ‘Come to me, for in me is all you need for everything you may face today.’ He doesn’t want there to be left-overs. He wants us to use it all. There will always be fresh stores of His grace for tomorrow and the next day.
I often tap into His grace when I’m having my quiet time at the start of the day, but do I realise there’s plenty more waiting to be gathered for those times I feel overwhelmed, tense, full of regret, or unsure of where to go….? He wants to lavish His grace upon us all every day but we do need to partner with Him and gather in what He offers us so freely.
I really enjoyed my lovely remnants dessert of fruits and yoghurt, but I loved far more that the Lord spoke to me through that simple action of using up old food before we went away. Am I as diligent in using up the quota of grace as I am the food? How awesome that it’s a fresh quota every day! It will never run out! There will always be enough. Hallelujah. Thank you dear Lord Jesus. Amen.
