Tag Archives: God is enough

You can lead a horse to water…

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Maybe you saw the cute YouTube video of the horse that was hesitant to walk into the water. After a few unsuccessful tries to encourage the horse, the rider dismounted and gently and patiently led the horse slowly to the water’s edge. The horse put first one foot, then another into the water. Then it stomped its foot making big splashes. Seeming to enjoy this, the horse walked completely into the water, and delighted in making many more splashes!

 

A cousin of mine says she has experienced the same thing with her horses. She shares that horses are not so much afraid of water but hesitant because they don’t understand it. Once they get in the water, they will enjoy it so much they will lie down and roll, saddle and all, if you aren’t careful!

 

I’ve known a number of people who are hesitant to go into the water. I was too. When I was in college I took a class in Beginning Swimming. Then another in Intermediate, then Advanced, and finally a course in Life Saving. The more time I spent in the water, the more understanding I gained and the less hesitancy I had.

 

The saying goes, “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.” It seems to me that once the horse realizes how thirsty they are and the more gentle introduction they have, they become more interested in discovering how refreshing the water can be.

 

Think about people who are hesitant to come to the living water God offers. Our job is not to make people drink. But I think our job is to help them realize how thirsty they are and to provide them with the opportunity to experience the excitement that the living water of Jesus brings.

 

Does God quench your thirst in a most satisfied way?  When others see that your thirst is quenched by all God brings to your life,  they become more aware of their own thirst. Yes, coming to the water to drink is urgent. But we need to be gentle and patient as we help those around us overcome their hesitancy to enter the water.

 

The horse comes to the water because he trusts the trainer. What happens when others see that God is enough for us, as long as we have our football? God – and sports – is enough. God is enough as long as I can pay my bills. God – and my bike/car/(fill in the blank) – are enough.

 

Enjoy life. But make sure your own growing relationship with your Heavenly Father consumes your desires and quench your own thirst.  Over time others may come to understand the value of thirsting for the gospel hope that is evident in your own life.

 

Taste and see that the Lord is great. – Psalm 34:8

 

 

Do you want more?

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Everyone wants more.

 

A  recent news story tells of a divorce settlement between an oil tycoon and his ex-wife. The court ruled she would get $1 BILLION dollars, but she is appealing the decision, saying she needs more, much more.

 

Sometimes we think we deserve more. Like the story of the man and wife who died and went to heaven. Waiting at the pearly gates, the wife leaned over to her husband and said, “Whatever you do, don’t ask to get everything you deserve!”

 

We think we are good people, especially when we compare ourselves to certain scoundrels. But measured against God’s standard of holiness, we ALL fall short. We’ve lied or cheated or thought wrongly of others. We’ve gossiped. We’ve turned an indifferent eye when others needed our help. We insisted on having more when others went hungry. We invested a lifetime in hobbies and recreation at the peril of those who’ve never heard the truth about Jesus. We’ve ignored a great God at the preference to our worship of lesser joys. We’ve lived for ourselves and wasted time that we can never regain.

 

And yet, despite our rebellion, while we were still sinners, God gave His Son to die for the forgiveness of our sins. He paid the penalty we deserved and extended grace to us. Instead of an eternity of punishment he granted us an eternity of abundant joy. But we still want more, don’t we?

 

If God’s loving grace doesn’t quench your thirst, if His guiding Spirit leaves you ungrateful, if His power and strength doesn’t fulfill, if His perfect peace doesn’t calm your soul, if His faithful promises don’t impress you, what do you think would be enough for you? If having an immediate any-time audience and personal relationship with the King of Kings, the Prince of Peace, The Lord of Lords, Almighty God Himself doesn’t bring satisfaction to your soul, what will you find instead?

 

Would you be happy to hold a billion dollars in your hand for 10 seconds? That is about how long our lives are in comparison to eternity, if that. What if you could fulfill your favorite appetite for a full minute before your body dissolved in the grave? Would that be enough? What if you had your 15 minutes of fame, where the whole world knew your name before forgetting it forever? Would that fill your tank?

 

Maybe this is the day to start appreciating – and sharing – all we are given:
A hug from someone who loves us
An encouraging word from someone who cares
The opportunity to make someone smile and laugh
The time to share someone’s sadness and disappointment
A breath of fresh air
Clean water to quench our thirst
A bite of nutritious food
The amazing gift of a clear conscience
The contentment of being faithful
Quiet time with the one who created and loves you
Letting his light shine into other’s lives

 

We were designed to want more. . . More of God.

And He is waiting for us to say, “Ahh, THAT is quite enough!”

 

 

Forgiveness is enough

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Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Psalm 32:1

 

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

 

Our recent devotional scripture was on forgiveness. After the reading, Marcia said, “If we received nothing else in this life, only forgiveness, that would be enough wouldn’t it?”  I agreed. Do you? If you never got the job or house of your dreams, if your relationships never completely resolved to your satisfaction, if your health failed and your investments went south, when all the game playing is done… would God be enough? It is said that the richest person is not the one who has the most, but the one who needs the least. What do you need to be happy?

 

I wonder if we had only our health, wealth, and prosperous lives, but missed enjoying daily fellowship with God, would we be among the most wretched souls on earth.  C. S. Lewis once observed that the one who has God and everything else has no more than the one who has God only. And yet we long for more and more. Or maybe we long for so much that is actually less … less than what ALL of God’s best for us.

 

As you allow your mind to scan across the entirety of your life to its end, if you found yourself with God’s forgiveness and grace, would that be enough?

 

If you need forgiveness, ask God to forgive you.  He is waiting for you.

 

If you are forgiven, be thankful in all you have already been given!

Let your heart say, “It is enough.”