His comment caught me off guard. As my friend Nathan and I were enjoying a hike in the deep woods of northern Minnesota we ran into a jackpot of fresh wild berries that were perfect for feasting on. "Boy", Nathan commented as he dined on another handful of juicy blackberries, "God is a God of wasteful abundance." Wasteful Abundance? I had considered over the years how God seemingly wastes nothing. I have always considered God as the perfect steward. One who works with what he has and never spoils or wastes one thing in this world of His. And, of course this is true in many contexts. But, a God of wasteful His abundance? Now, that's a thought I'd never considered before.
As I stood there, berry juice running down the rough whiskers of my unshaven face, I smiled and thought, "Yes, wasteful abundance." I scanned all the berries in this one spot of the forest floor. There were so many ripened berries, perfect for the plucking, in my line of sight alone that I couldn't possibly eat what was visible. Then I considered the millions of acres in this raw wilderness where these berries run wild and flourish. Millions upon millions of berries that would ripen, fall to the ground and spoil without any animal or human enjoying their sweetness.
Yes, wasteful abundance. The thought made me happy for God. God is so decadent in His blessings. He is so exuberant with his goodness that most of what He has to offer is wasted simply because there's too much to take in at one time.
God is so wasteful. He is guilty of polluting this world. Polluting His created cosmos with goodness and abundance and grace and beauty. He floods this world with more abundance than we can possibly take in in one lifetime.
As I stood there, berry juice running down the rough whiskers of my unshaven face, I smiled and thought, "Yes, wasteful abundance." I scanned all the berries in this one spot of the forest floor. There were so many ripened berries, perfect for the plucking, in my line of sight alone that I couldn't possibly eat what was visible. Then I considered the millions of acres in this raw wilderness where these berries run wild and flourish. Millions upon millions of berries that would ripen, fall to the ground and spoil without any animal or human enjoying their sweetness.
Yes, wasteful abundance. The thought made me happy for God. God is so decadent in His blessings. He is so exuberant with his goodness that most of what He has to offer is wasted simply because there's too much to take in at one time.
God is so wasteful. He is guilty of polluting this world. Polluting His created cosmos with goodness and abundance and grace and beauty. He floods this world with more abundance than we can possibly take in in one lifetime.
We see abundance in scrumptious berries that no tongue will ever touch. We see it in the billions of brilliant stars that no eye will ever gaze upon. Or, in each unique snowflake, a work of art in its own right, that will sparkle with brilliance then melt and evaporate apart from any admiring onlooker. Perhaps most poignantly, God's wasteful abundance is seen in the blood of Christ spilled for men that will never desire, want, nor embrace His love. Yes, there is much that God seemingly wastes. . .especially on us.
But, is not that the nature of our great God? His giving is wasteful. Is not love and grace the stuff of wasteful abundance? God's goodness has a way of coming in bulk. He floods His way into our lives. Even if much of what He offers us goes to waste. He gives so liberally. So generously. So lavishly.
But, is not that the nature of our great God? His giving is wasteful. Is not love and grace the stuff of wasteful abundance? God's goodness has a way of coming in bulk. He floods His way into our lives. Even if much of what He offers us goes to waste. He gives so liberally. So generously. So lavishly.
Application? Instead of looking at a world in terms of how meager things are, turn your gaze towards God's wasteful abundance. He offers us "immeasurably more than we ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3. 20-21). Instead of clenching your fists in frustration over a wasted opportunity today, open up your hands and begin to receive the wasteful bounty that God is presently offering. Don't let his goodness spoil! Take and feast on the Father's excess today.
1 comment:
Great article Thank
you so much!
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