He is abundant

"On this day of your life, Abigail, we believe God wants you to know...that God will give you everything you need once you are ready to receive.  God is abundant and is only waiting for you to make yourself ready to receive what you truly need.  Think now what can you do to make yourself ready?"

That was my randomly generated "Message from God" on Facebook this evening, I don't put much stock in them but I found it interesting so I thought I would talk about it.

We just finished a mini-series at Church called "5", five steps that will change your life.  The 5 steps were:

1. Baptism
2. Tithing
3. The Altar
4. Communion
5. Worship

The key phrase for this series was "There is something powerful in a simple step of obedience." When I think about those steps I am reminded of the scripture that says, "Die to self and take up your cross daily."  In fact Pastor mentioned that verse in his sermon last week because all but Baptism is reoccurring.  They are uncomfortable because they require self-sacrifice. They all deal with stepping out of your comfort zone, allowing others to see your faith or even worse your vulnerability.    

Being vulnerable is hard.  It requires trust and a step of faith.  Trust is hard to come by most of the time and that step of faith is one of the scariest things you might do, but its those steps that bring us closer to Him.

So I was pondering my "Message from God":

"...that God will give you everything you need once you are ready to receive.  God is abundant and is only waiting for you to make yourself ready to receive what you truly need.  Think now what can you do to make yourself ready."

Its highly doubtful that my Creator is waiting on me for anything.  He doesn't withhold things from us, He freely gives. He continues to offer everything to me.  He's not holding anything back from me.

However I am a comfortable christian.  For those of you that know me, you might be shaking your head on this one because I walk out my faith.  I serve, I tithe, I worship unabashedly.  I pray, out loud in public where other people can hear me.  I follow the 11th commandment and really, really, really love but for me its easy to do those things.  I'm comfortable doing those things.  I don't see those things as strange or odd or out of the ordinary because I surround myself with people that do those things but when faced with the reality of completely letting go, I come to a complete stop.  

I don't know if I have an A type personality but I like things clean, tidy and orderly.  I've found that when letting go and letting Him take the lead, things are not always clean, tidy and orderly or at least they don't feel that way. 

Months ago faced with the end of my marriage, the loss of my home, the loss of my job and the apparent loss of my future, I was desperate.  Things were not at all clean, tidy and orderly during that time.  My friends rallied around me and kept my head from sinking to deep but I was at a complete stop because I knew that only He could get me through this.  I was scared to death.  I didn't want to be vulnerable.  My heart was crushed, I couldn't trust anyone.  After this much heartache, why would I allow myself to be hurt again?

So I started "wandering in the desert".  (If you'd like to read more about that journey go back into the archives to mid-February and read forward to Easter.)  For a while I despised the desert, thinking that I was being punished much the same way the Israelites were because of my lack of faith, but then I started to realize that much like the Israelites, He was taking care of me.  I was provided for at every turn.  I was clothed and fed and sheltered.  Everything I needed was supplied for me. 

He wasn't waiting on me to ask or change.  He freely gave because He loves me and takes care of me but I still was responsible to reply to His gracious gifts.  So I did and I walked out of the desert with my head held high.  It was a momentous day for many reasons but I left the desert knowing that my Heavenly Father adored me.  I was His daughter.  I was precious and loved. 

He loves you that way as well.