“It Is in His abundance that we lack for nothing; He supplies all of our needs. It is in our wants we see not His abundance.”
Most of us who live in the United States of America are wonderfully blessed. Our nation as a whole is bountifully set apart in the things the world looks upon as blessings of abundance. Other people in other countries think we in our nation are a wealthy land. That is true; America as a whole is a prosperous land.
Abundance is usually thought of in terms of having above and beyond our needs. We normally think someone who has an abundance of something is rich. Riches by most are measured in terms of wealth in finances or things that money can buy.
People have in abundance because they work for, inherit, or – because they are obedient and faithful.
God gave in abundance to men, not only because they where obedient, but because they were faithful in their worship to Him. He gave land and cattle and even warriors to kings and men who were submissive and followed His leading. He also sent plagues and famine in abundance on those who were disobedient or worshiped idols. He used His gifts of abundance and His plagues and famines in abundance often to show His mighty wonders, His power and His greatness. He used it to teach people to trust Him and know that He was God.
God used Joseph, to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams, and God sent forth abundance in both plenty and want. Because of Joseph obedience, Egypt had more than abundance in grain stored away while famine was seen severe all over the land. Read this account in (Genesis: 40, 41 and 42.) Also God sent an abundance of rain after Noah built the ark. But as God does, he provided away to those who where obedient to him to escape the wrath of His hands.
Abundance is not always good. Plenty can be a troublesome burden. It can afford a rich man no sleep as it tells us in (Ecclesiastes: 5-12.) Man’s own abundance can cause him problems when he puts more upon himself than he can handle. A man or woman with great quantities of work to be done in their job, can tell you that abundance is overwhelming. A mother with several children can convey that increased numbers of children can cause an abundance of laundry among other daily task. Satan also gives in abundance; he put upon Job an abundance of troubles and anguish.
I once cleaned out our attic where I had an abundance of things collected and stored away. It had items our four grown children had accumulated from their childhood years. It contained a mass of old pictures and decorating pieces I had chosen to store away instead of do away with. It had old Christmas decorations and hoards of items that could be categorized as junk. No, not all abundance is good, I can attest to that.
In (Deuteronomy 28:12) it tells us, “The heavens are God’s storehouse of bounty and from there come His abundance.” His rains pour down and His sunshine from the heaven provides the land to produce in abundance. To reap plenty we need to be obedient to Him, worship only him and follow His ways, keeping His commandments. Like Moses told the people of Israel, “God will bless you and grant you abundant prosperity – in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and in the crops of your ground.” In other words God will provide in abundance in those things which we need.
David in Psalms sung of Gods abundant goodness and God swore an oath to David to bless Zion. He said, “He would bless her in abundant provisions; her poor will I satisfy with food. I will clothe her priest with salvation, and her saints will sing for joy.” Yes, God knows about abundance and always provides.
We in America must always remember who it is that provides for us in abundance. We must always remember who we should worship and that God’s hand of wrath can also provide in abundance if we forget Him. We in our lives must remember the one we should serve, and be obedient to Him. We must remember He who blesses us, and His Son who provides the provision of grace and the abundant gift of salvation.
If we weed out the things of abundance in our lives and turn our eyes upon Him who can give to us an abundant life we will have all that we ever need.
* Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to keep my eyes upon you and be obedient to you in all things, that I may experience your abundant mercy, peace and grace. Thank you, oh Lord, for your abundant gift of salvation. Amen.
Betty King
Betty King is a freelance writer, a newspaper columnist, and author of two books, “It Takes to Mountains to Make a Valley” and “But – It Was in the Valleys I Grew.”