Devotional - March 14, 2011

II Corinthians 9:8
“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so
that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you
may abound in every good work.” (ESV)

Reflection
The middle of any journey tends to lack dramatic excitement. Beginnings are filled with dreams and a sense of adventure, ends drip with meaning and give birth to growth. Much of the middle of any story tends to monotonously plod along without much thrill. In Paul's second letter to the Corinthians, he steps into the middle of a church's journey toward sacrificial giving. Midway through their efforts, Paul seeks to remind them of the character of God and who we are as his people in order to strengthen their resolve.

We now begin the third calendar week of Rice & Beans Month, which is a part of the great excitement known as “the middle”. Our resolve may be waning, our pride and piety may be spreading like a fungus, or perhaps our level of self-pity may have reached a new personal record. Paul's instruction to the church in Corinth is therefore a crucial encouragement to remember that it is God who “is able to make all grace abound to [us]”. As we have freely received this grace, so we respond by freely pouring out our time, effort, appetite, and comfort zone so that others may also experience His grace and sufficiency in powerful ways. When we seemingly reach the end of our will to eat anything else resembling a grain of rice or a mound of beans, we are extended an invitation. It is the summons to lean into our shortcomings without fear or shame and embrace the abundant grace of our loving Father. Let us rely on the ability of God to fulfill our needs and desires through His presence and His community. Let us respond with compassion for ourselves when we find that we are struggling in the task at hand. Let us look into our personal frailty with eager anticipation, for it is in our deficits that we meet God and He will provide all of the sufficiency that we need.

- Lexie Johnson, Lahash Volunteer

For Kids
This verse tells us something really, really cool about God! Remember the
Bible story about Elijah being hungry and asking a woman for something
to eat? She told him she had only enough left to make one last meal for
herself and her son. But she listened to Elijah and fed him anyway, and her
containers kept filling themselves back up! It was like the more she used
the more she had! Amazing! God's grace and love are like that, and He
shares them with you if you let Him. That means you could be kind and
loving to everyone you see today, say only good things, and it wouldn't
wear you out or use up all of your good words so that tonight you'd have
only grumpy words left! Try it out and see! The more we love, the more
love we have to give because God has an endless supply.