Good morning. Imagine yourself hungry. No, not simply thinking it is about time for lunch, I mean really hungry. Think of what it would be like to have missed not one meal, but to go a few days without a meal. We are speaking of hunger that is made known not by discomfort but by pain. Yes, there are many in our world who can relate to those thoughts in a very personal way, but I am asking that for now, you think of yourself in those terms.
But then, imagine that some generous person recognizes your need and meets it. This kind person invites you in and doesn’t offer you a sandwich, they invite you to join them in a feast. How great would be your thankfulness? I imagine that you would be very thankful indeed! Imagine being starved and then having the opportunity to eat until you can’t force another bite. You are completely full, totally satisfied. What a wonderful gift this generous person has provided to you!
But here’s the thing: how long would it be until you are hungry again? After such a feast would it take days before your stomach begins to growl and complain? No, not days, perhaps hours. The need to eat and to satisfy hunger is not a once in a lifetime or even an every few days occurrence, it is a never-ending need.
The grace of God is much the same. God’s grace is not something we need, and therefore receive, once in our life. It is not something we need, and therefore receive every few days when we recognize that our need is extreme. God’s grace is His continuous resource, poured out to us throughout every day. We need the flow of that grace just as we need to be refreshed with food or drink.
When we find ourselves in a place of spiritual need, we first must recognize that we are incapable of meeting those needs through our own effort. We read in Ephesians 2:8 “For it is by grace that you are being saved through faith. This is not your own doing, it is the gift of God…”
But God is generous and God is willing. He doesn’t pour out grace to His children bit by bit, He pours His grace out to us abundantly so that we are fully refreshed and ready for the day.
God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8
Sometime today you will find yourself in spiritual need. Please remember that God is ready to pour out all the grace required to ensure your success and joy. What remains is that we lift up our prayers to ask Him, and then to lift up our praise in thanksgiving.
Vern