He is Enough
- Dianne Beck
- Jul 16
- 4 min read
I recently returned from visiting my kids and grandson, and one of my biggest joys was the things my two-year-old grandson would say. Every day there was a favorite phrase, either because of how he said it, or the expression on his face as he said it, or the timing in which he would say it. When I reflected on this past Sunday's "Walk This Way" verses, I couldn't help but hear one of his frequent phrases, which he said at any meal after he was full. He would decidedly say, "That's a muff," which, translated from toddler speak to grown-up speak, is "That's enough." Yes, it was adorable, and because of that, I have a hard time saying it in any way other than his way now. But also, the timing couldn't have been more perfect for this week's reflection.
In Matthew 14:13-21, we see Jesus providing more than enough during a time when the disciples cannot see how there is possibly enough. In a remote place, with a hungry crowd of 5,000, Jesus tells the disciples to feed everyone. They logically respond with, "But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish!" (This is where I can hear my grandson saying, "That's a muff!") Here's how Jesus responds:
"Bring them here to me, " he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:18-21)
When I read this passage, I couldn't help but notice that Jesus did this after just hearing that his beloved cousin, John the Baptist, had been brutally killed. (Matthew 14:1-12) He was grieving, and yet he spent the day healing the sick and then looked up to heaven and gave thanks!
If I'm trying to walk in the way of Jesus, I have to pay attention to this. This means that when I feel low, tired, weak, in need, my first response should not be to look down, or inward, or anywhere else but UP to the God who will provide and help, and the first thing I should do when I look up is GIVE THANKS.
So, that's what I'm working on, and one of my first opportunities to do so came recently when coming home from that beautiful visit with family. Saying goodbye is always hard for me, and it takes me some time to adjust from that mountaintop feeling of being close with them to being away. But on the drive home, God graciously reminded me of what I'd been reflecting on the past week with a song. The song that came on was a remix of the song "Jireh," done by a musician called Xander. While this version is mostly instrumental, I was familiar with the words, and as I sat and listened, I was brought to tears not because of what I was lacking as we drove away, but because of how filled I felt with God's blessings and love. I heard Jesus telling me that even when I am down, not at my best, He is enough. I can look up to him and he will fill me up. He will provide, comfort, strengthen, and uplift me and all those I love.
In addition to the passage in Matthew 14, I've spent time reading verses this week that remind me of the greatness of God. It seems so easy to forget that he is a God of abundance, not scarcity, as Pastor Chamie Delkeskamp reminded us this past Sunday. She reminded us, for example, that when the lies of scarcity say we don't have enough, the truth of God's abundance says, we DO have enough. When the lie of scarcity says we'll never recover from a tragedy or loss, God's abundance says you CAN rebuild and recover. When the lie of scarcity says you don't have enough talent or skill, God's abundance says we have more ability than we even know. When the lie of scarcity tells us to hold back on love or forgiveness so we aren't taken advantage of, the truth of God's abundance says there is more than enough of God's love surrounding us. She reminded us that the voice of the enemy is scarcity, but the voice of abundance is Jesus.
So, in light of this truth, as I said, I've spent time looking up verses to remind me of God's greatness, of his power and might, so I can remember that he is always enough. These verses are everywhere in the Bible, more than I can record in this space (more proof of his abundance!), but I'm providing some of them here.
Feel free to simply read these verses, or print them out and place them where you can easily see them. You can journal your thoughts about them after writing them out in a journal, or on your own notecards is also a great idea. I found that as I typed them, my spirits were naturally lifted. I pray that these verses do the same for you and are a blessing to you, along with any other verses you know or find that help you remember God's abundance and unending love for you.
Verses to Remind You of God's Abundance:
(Printable link at the end of this post)
Have a blessed week, all, living in the truth of God's abundance.
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