The Abundant Life
Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 8:6-18
When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.
Abundance with God means that grace is extended in unexpected and unforeseen ways from the One who can do far beyond what we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). God gives us tangible blessings: deliverance, family, food, health, finances, work assignments and callings, and much more. And all of this is by God’s favor, not based on our own merits. God’s goodness is worked out in our lives; therefore we lift our voices in praise from a heart of gratitude, privately or publicly and individually or collectively.
God warns, though, “Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God. . . .” Sadly, that happened often in Israel, and at times God had to punish the people and call them to repentance. When they did, God forgave them and showered them abundantly again.
We have even more abundance in Jesus Christ, our Savior, because he came to give us life “to the full” (John 10:10). The abundant life is more than material things. It is life that is filled to overflowing with the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). We reflect Jesus as his witnesses in this world.
The world needs to see his reflection in us face-to-face, in online meetings, on social media, and wherever we go.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, help us to receive, remember, and praise you for your abundance. May our lives reflect your grace shared in abundance through Jesus daily. Amen.
About the author — Denise Posie
Denise Posie served as a pastor in an urban church in Kalamazoo, Michigan, for thirteen years. She also served the Christian Reformed Church in North America as a congregational consultant and as director of leadership diversity. Since retiring in 2020, she has served part-time at Calvin Theological Seminary as a pastor in redemptive kingdom diversity, and in her spare time she enjoys writing and meeting new people.
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