I laughed this morning.
Sitting by myself at the kitchen table, doing my Life Journal, I laughed as I read God's word.
It all began years ago...
More than a few years ago, while attending the Leadership Summit, I was privileged to hear Tim Sanders speak on the topic of scarcity vs. abundance. Scarcity being believing that there is not enough to go around, while Mr. Sanders defines the law of abundance as believing that there is always enough to go around.
I've been thinking about that session of the LS lately, since I have noticed that scarcity thinking has become more and more prevalent in my life... and it is not a good thing. This crept-in belief is slowly poisoning my outlook, from knowing that with Jesus, I have all that I truly need, to thinking that in order to be good, to be happy, I need more. Something else. And this scarcity thinking has me making bad decisions, rash decisions, and not being myself.
Back to today...
It began probably ten minutes earlier. After I got up and was gathering what I would need for the morning quiet time, I was thinking on this scarcity thing, and I thought to myself, "How does a person get beyond scarcity? What do I need to do to get myself out of this?"
I left the question hanging in the air as I opened my Bible for today's readings. When I got to Psalm 34, verse 9, that is when the laughter hit.
Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,Are. You. Kidding. Me.
for those who fear him have no lack! {vs. 9}
There, in black and white print was the answer to my question. And in case I may have doubted it, or thought it seemed a little too obscure, David, the Psalmist, went on...
The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.Could my question have been answered any better had I had an actual audience with my God in His throne room?
Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
Sure, the answer isn't easy, and I know that I have some work cut out for me—as I seek hard after God, pursue peace instead of more, and rid myself of the lies that I have been believing for too long—but how amazing is it that when we ask our questions, He hears them, and loves us enough to answer them, if only we pay attention?
* * * * *
Paying attention to the gifts...
119:: a serendipitous moment resulting in an online chat with a dearly missed friend in Africa.
120:: God's love, even when I feel unlovable.
121:: heart-shaped ice cubes.
122:: Mom wanting to fly across the country to be with me for my birthday... even if it didn't work out.
123:: my birthday present from Mom & Dad arriving six days early, and the anticipation of waiting to open it.
124:: pretty party favors hanging in my kitchen.
125:: an awesome job at a church I love.
126:: anticipating a visit from a dear friend.
127:: all the friends who ate and laughed and loved at my Welcome To Spring party. {Yummy cake courtesy of Lyndsay, who rocks!}
128:: receiving the cookbook that I have wanted practically FOREVER! {thank you, Ang!}
129:: birthday gifts: all perfect, every one of them.
130:: beginning the book that two friends have raved about.
131:: laying down to sleep with the echoes of laughter still hanging in the air, remembering all the beautiful moments of the evening.
132:: the reminder to love one another.
133:: a rainy day with one of my closest friends doing all the things that we love to do, talking and laughing through it all.
134:: that sometimes, when I ask a question, God answers right away.
3 comments:
beautiful list. Love how your shared about your quiet time with the Lord and how He answered you, plain as day. It is so sweet when He does that, isn't it? Sweet, and funny.
I love that in God's economy He loves us lavishly & gives abundantly. For me, it's in the times when I've sought God the hardest that He seems to open my eyes to the abundance of blessing around me. Funny, often those times are in the middle of difficult circumstances. So grateful for His love. A great reminder to keep seeking hard after God. Thanks, friend!
I’m here from Ann’s today -- and amen for those answers we already know – we may have read before – but forget – and then come back just when we need them. No? And my fave from your list this week. 134:: that sometimes, when I ask a question, God answers right away. ( it doesn’t happen often – but I heart when it happens too) This all made me smile. Thank you.
God bless and keep you and all of yours Susanne.
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