The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"An All Sufficient Savior"
"Our Lord's sufficiency - His super abundant sufficiency - abides at all times, in all conditions and circumstances, and most of all, in our hearts."
We mentioned in yesterday's message the confession of the Lord Jesus Christ as "my all sufficient Savior" by Brigadier General and four time governor of Maine Joshua L. Chamberlain. A life of God's grace known amid much suffering confirmed his confidence, and raises the question: how sufficient do we perceive the Lord Jesus to be?
"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" (II Corinthians 9:8).
"All sufficiency in all things," resulting in "every good work." The Apostle Paul affirms God's grace as more than enough for whatever may come our way. Our confidence and access of His provision may sometimes wane, however, although such lapses of faith are never inevitable or excusable. Our Lord's abundant sufficiency nevertheless abides at all times, in all conditions and circumstances, and most of all, in our hearts. So, whether we find ourselves in a proper time of confident awareness and response to His grace, or a time wherein we realize our faith has faltered, the "all sufficiency… all things… every good work" trustworthiness of our Lord lies before us and within us.
It may be that some of our greatest responses of faith occur after being awakened to the need for arising from unbelief. While not the ideal in our walk of faith, God's grace and mercy so blessedly greet us in times of repentance that a restored confidence can lead to monumental steps of trusting Him. This speaks more to His joy of restoration than to our renewed faith. Consider the prodigal's father in his race of grace to meet his wayward, but returning and repentant son:
"The father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet, and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry, for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry" (Luke 15:22-24).
The son found a tiny seed of faith in his heart as he returned to a father he hoped would, at best, receive him as a hired servant (Luke 15:19). The father, however, found in his heart the vast measure of grace that crowns the narrative with glory and wonder. All the joy of the best robe, the ring, the shoes, the fatted calf, and the exultant celebration resulted from a merciful father's loving desire to restore. In the same manner, when we trust God with renewed confidence after a time of wandering, we can expect His response to be far more than commensurate with our repentance. "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (Romans 5:20).
We can only begin from where we are in trusting God. This may and should mean continuance and growth in accessing the superabundant sufficiency of His grace by faith. Or, it may involve the godly sorrow of repentance that we have not trusted the One who has been so faithful to us in so many ways. Whatever the case, enough and more than enough of God's grace always awaits our access by faith. Let us apply such truth to this day, this hour, and whatever insufficiency in our lives requires the provision of our "all sufficient Savior." We shall not be disappointed, and our Father will be glorified as our faith serves as the backdrop to reveal and exalt His faithfulness.
"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.
(II Corinthians 3:5)
"Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding, abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus, world without ages, Amen."
(Ephesians 3:20-21)
Weekly Memory Verse
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge, and in all judgment."
(Philippians 1:9)
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