Blessed Beyond Measure

and we don't even know it!  Or at least realize it.  Or appreciate it.  Not most of the time.  Not in my house.

BUT, I am becoming more and more aware of 2 extremely important truths:
*I am blessed beyond measure, in SO many ways.

*The blessings I am experiencing right now are just the tip of the iceberg.  God has SO much more waiting for me, but I can only receive it as I open myself up to Him, surrendering myself to Him and giving Him complete control and TRUSTING that His way is best.

That last part might sound like I am LOSING out on life.  That I am GIVING UP rights and privileges.  That I am SACRIFICING my hopes and goals and dreams.  That I am SETTING ASIDE my ambitions and desires.  That I am SETTLING for a ho-hum, ordinary, boring life.  All that couldn't be further from the truth!!!  In fact, I am starting to realize it's a LIE from the pit of hell.  Satan has very cleverly disguised it to appear as truth, but as the Father of Lies, he can't tell the truth to save his life.  He doesn't know how to tell the truth.  But he sure doesn't want us to figure that out.  He certainly doesn't want his dark side to be exposed.  I am pretty sure he's deathly allergic to the light.

Back to the reality that only in EMPTYING myself before God can He fill me up with His blessings.  And not just with a drip drop from a leaky faucet, but more like a rushing waterfall flooding over me.  As that happens, I'm not the only one who gets wet.  Everyone around me is going to get drenched too.  That's the best part about God's blessings - He gives them to us so we can in turn bless others.

The sad part is that we are so busy with life that we often don't realize how truly blessed we are.  Today, I read a story about a family adopting precious kiddos from Ethiopia.  Want to know what jumpstarted their involvement in eliminating orphans and putting orphanages out of business?  A loaf of moldy bread.  You see, they hadn't eaten their bread in time and had to throw it out.  They hadn't NEEDED the bread right away and before they did NEED it, the bread was bad and unedible.  The fact that they had "wasted" good food hit them hard when they realized many people all over the world would have gobbled that loaf of bread up in no time flat.  The idea of letting it go moldy would NEVER have crossed their minds.  If they hadn't eaten it, someone else would have come along and snatched it up, happy to have food in their belly that day.

How often do we throw out food because it sits in the back of the fridge before we get a chance to enjoy it?  How often do we leave food on our plates because we're too full to eat another bite?  How often do we have a CHOICE in what we eat, having something different for supper every night of the week (if we so desire)?  How often can we run to the grocery store and pick up more food - like I did today so I could get a good deal on some blueberries?

We live in excess and yet we clamor for more.  We get caught in the keeping up with the Jones and don't truly enjoy what we already have.  Or we become so focused on GETTING that we forgetting about the GIVING part that should come as we receive God's blessings (for every good gift is from Him, whether we realize or acknowledge it).

We also forget that God's blessings aren't always in the form of a house or car or clothes or any THING. We tend to equate prosperity and success with STUFF, but we have to remember God has a different value system. His currency isn't in coins or bills, but rather in PEOPLE and MEMORIES and MOMENTS.  You may not be able to touch or hold these blessings, but they are priceless.  I saw 2 friends post within minutes of each other about the blessing of being able to watch their children play.  One was at a park, a baby sleeping on her lap as her little boy splashed in the water.  She was struck hard with the reality that all around the world children are being killed, that mothers and fathers are being torn from their families, that babies are dying every minute.  But for most of us all that is so far away that we don't think about it.  Out of sight, out of mind.  We go on with our busy lives, taking for granted our freedom and privileges.  We don't even realize how blessed we are.

But, oh my!!!  We are blessed BEYOND measure!

This morning, though, I was hit hard with the truth that I am not receiving the full extent of God's blessings in my life.  And it's no one's fault but mine.  All because I don't stop to PRAY.  Not truly pray my heart out.  Not give myself fully to the conversation.  Yes, I am busy, but I can and SHOULD MAKE the time to spend time with my Heavenly Father.  He has a lavish banquet prepared for me.  He has invited me to the feast.  He is waiting for me to come.  And I do, but I am in such a hurry and so wrongly convinced that I am bothering him with my request, that I keep my head down, scared to look up and see anger or frustration or annoyment in His eyes.  I quickly and nervously ask for a slice of bread, hoping He doesn't get upset and throw me out of the room.  After all, I asked for the same thing yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that, and the day before that...  What if I would take 2 seconds to look up.  I would see LOVE in His eyes.  I would see His arms extended, longing to embrace me and pull me up on his lap.  I would see joy radiating from His face.  I would see a big smile.   I would feel welcomed and cherished.  I would sit down and breathe and ENJOY being there with Him.  I would be FILLED.  I would realize I can always come back for more, that God's pantry will never be empty - not even close.

Oh how much we forfeit because of our busyness!!!  How much do we lose out on because we forget how GOOD and GRACIOUS and merciful and kind and compassionate and generous our God is.  As Beth Moore reminded me this morning, "Since He did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won't He also give us everything else?" (Romans 8:32)  She went on to share Luke 12:32, "Don't be afraid, little flock, for your Father DELIGHTS to give you the kingdom."  Another translation put it, "It gives your Father great happiness to give you the kingdom."  Far from the picture we paint of an old miser begrudgingly handing out moldy bread and a cup of brownish water.

I am slowly learning the TRUE meaning of what I have heard and known since infancy, "Jesus loves you."  This summer, my daughter Kellah (age 2.5) was playing on the bed and fell off.  Blood everywhere.  We took her to the ER and discovered she would need staples - 4 of them - to repair the wound.  As the doctor gave her a shot to numb the area, my husband held her down on the bed (because the straight jacket thing they put her in first wasn't strong enough for her flailing arms and legs).  I sat at the other side of the room, holding another daughter (my baby who is 8 months old).  I was helpless.  There was nothing I could do as I listened to my child scream in terror.  How badly I wanted to take her place!!!  I hate needles, but at that moment I would have gladly gotten the shot and been the one who needed the staples.  As I wished I could take her pain away, I was hit with the reality that God knew exactly how I was feeling.  You see, He DID take my place.  He had His Son DIE on the cross for MY sin.  Jesus was beaten and bruised and KILLED so that I could LIVE.  He paid MY debt.  And as Jesus cried out in anguish to His Father, God looked away, letting Him hang on the cross and die.  So I could live.  Talk about LOVE.  John 3:16 took on a lot more meaning and depth right there in the hospital room.

It is that love that God wants to pour out on me EVERY.SINGLE.DAY.  And yet, I so often am not able to receive that love.  Not fully.

Oh if I would truly believe, "For me to die is gain and to live is Christ!"
If I would take Jesus at His word and "take up my cross daily and follow Him," then and only then would I experience the full extent of His love and peace and joy and hope and power at work in my life.

So, today, I marvel and reflect on these 2 truths:
*I am indeed blessed beyond measure already.

*As I open myself up to God, surrendering myself to Him and letting Him have free and total reign in my life, I will realize just how EXTRAVAGANT God's blessings are, and how ABUNDANTLY He wants to work in and through me, using me as a sieve to pour out His love and grace on anyone and everyone I know.

Won't you join me?  Take just a moment to THANK GOD for all He has given you, for the ways He is working in your life.  Then, look up into His eyes and keep your gaze there.  Let His love penetrate to your heart of hearts.  Breathe in deeply.  And rest.  Feel His arms wrap around you.  Let the fears and worries and stresses fade away.  Let peace flood over you.  Feel the joy rising?  You can't help but smile.  Stay just one more minute, though.  Don't rush off yet.  Make sure before you go, you are ready to live out what you now know.

God LOVES you.
God loves YOU.

You are MADE FOR MORE.
No ordinary life for you.
No more just surviving.
God made you to THRIVE.
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.