More Than Enough is Never Enough!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

We are a people who have a double sided mind.

When it comes to ‘getting’, “NEVER ENOUGH!” is our mantra.

When it comes to ‘giving’, the word NEVER is rarely partnered with ENOUGH. “MORE THAN ENOUGH!” is the usual judgement call.

Does that make you uncomfortable? Does it make you realize your HUMAN nature is always hiding. It’s always making vegan clothes to cover it’s nakedness.

Take Thanksgiving for example… one day a year – set aside to be publicly grateful for all those people, places, and things, we are suppose to be grateful for. Most people would say that one day is MORE THAN ENOUGH for this activity as everyone SHOULD know your feelings for them without having to announce it “all the time”!

Excuse the victim shaming but I just don’t have time for you today! I have healthy, happy, wise things to do… When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.  Genesis 3:6

It sure is tasty and does indeed feel wonderful… for a minute! Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings. Genesis 3:7

Oops!

They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “ Where are you?” He said, “ I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”
Genesis 3:8-10

We still hide! Ready or not here I come!

I think it looks a little different in today’s world (a little more “figgy clothes”) but it is the same game of hide and seek.  We are still seeking NEVER ENOUGH and covering our nakedness – we had it all and then we found out there was “another way”. The way of removing God from our daily lives or at least limiting His control over us… the COUP of ALL COUPS… replace God. Of course we believe it is I who is, was, and always will be god. Unfortunately for us, Satan is determined it is him!

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:12 

We blame God (the serpent You created, deceived me… the woman You gave me) for taking away our happiness and fear that He will never give it back. When, in fact, it is the war of evil versus God’s Creation.  Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone (it’s you!) to devour.  1 Peter 5:8 

God, the God of Israel, the same God who created all of creation, the God who sent His only Son, the God who became flesh and dwelt among us… THE ONE TRUE GOD… has only one side. He and His Kingdom is ALWAYS ENOUGH. Whereas we worship our moments of happy, healthy and wise, God desires for us to return to His Eternity – His Kingdom of Love. And not only that, He is preparing each and every one of us to return, for He does not wish that any would perish. 

And this is God’s preparation… Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Because… it is so much more than never enough… it is ABUNDANT LIFE.

“Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”  1 Corinthians 2:9

What do we have to do to “get it”?

• We have to hear the sound of God walking in the garden and stop   hiding.
• We have to open our eyes to the difference between good and evil (spoiler alert: it’s love… UNCONDITIONAL LOVE!)
• We have to acknowledge our game of hiding from God and seeking our own fig leafs.
• We have to put our double sided selves of NEVER ENOUGH and MORE THAN ENOUGH on the altar and desire to become a child of our ALWAYS ENOUGH God!

May we never withhold even a small piece of ourselves…

This Thanksgiving… and Christmas too… and all year through… let us rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; because… it is God who is at work in us, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13

God’s enough is… ENOUGH! ALWAYS!!

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.