“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:8 & 11 (KJV)
As Theophilus returned home after the worship service, he continued to think about the Apostle’s teaching. Paul had encouraged them to receive a generous offering to be sent to the believers in Jerusalem. He based the principles for generous giving on God’s generosity toward all humanity, shown in Psalm 112:9. Theophilus considered Paul’s arguments carefully as he walked toward home. He couldn’t dismiss Paul’s point from his mind: “In the same way that God’s physical blessings are seeds of his kindness upon all mankind; a believer’s gifts are seeds of kindness sown in the lives of others. And in the same way that God’s generosity of righteousness endures upon the earth, a believer’s generous giving provides food for others with enduring results .”
Theophilus could easily grasp the principles set forth by Paul, but sometimes a person might not be able to afford generosity. Then Paul’s words came back to him: “God makes all grace increase and overflow toward you.” To Theophilus this was a wondrous concept. Our generosity based on the sufficiency of God and not on our own ability! That really put a new twist on tithing and almsgiving. “The God of sufficient amounts,” Paul called him. His increasing, overflowing grace “always providing all sufficiency in all things!” Theophilus was having a little difficulty wrapping his mind around that. It just seemed like a pipe dream. O, how he wished it were true, but it must be since Paul taught it!
Arriving home, Theophilus stopped at the gate and mentally reviewed Paul’s points. First, the grace of sufficiency enables us with a sufficiency in all things. So, our generosity flows from our trust in God who is our sufficiency. Second, the grace of sufficiency enables us to increase all our good works in an overflowing manner. So, God’s sufficiency liberates us from a bare minimum, stingy, greedy, miserly attitude. Third, the grace of sufficiency enables us to access the unlimited resources of God. So, we are enriched to the fullest extent of our generosity. Theophilus smiled as he thought about Paul’s final point. The grace of sufficiency continually produces thanksgiving to God. So, our giving is like dropping a pebble in the lake; the pebble produces a ripple effect. The more generous the giving, the greater the ripple effect in the Kingdom of God.
Theophilus was suddenly overcome with the warmth of God’s grace. He couldn’t explain it, but somehow he understood that his act of giving was not the end but the beginning. And, suddenly a flash of insight exploded in his brain: his giving was evidence that his righteousness through Christ also endured!
Dear Father, thank you for your increasing and overflowing gift of grace and mercy. Enable us to trust you as our God, generous and all sufficient. Empower us with thanksgiving and gratitude. This I ask in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be encouraged today in our All Sufficient Generous God,