If you aren't into the God angle on this one might I suggest you tell us about a time in your past where you felt "flush", where things just all seemed to fall into place for you? Or tell us what it is that you buy to treat yourself to a luxury when you have a little bit extra. Maybe tell us about the thing you miss most when times get tight.
On Day One we talked about FAILURE and today I woke up thinking about bounty.
21 Be not afraid, O land; be glad and rejoice. Surely the Lord has done great things. 22 Be not afraid, O wild animals, for the open pastures are becoming green. The trees are bearing their fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their riches. 23 Be glad, O people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. 24 The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil. 25 "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten-- the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm-- my great army that I sent among you. 26 You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. 27 Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed.
28 "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
In studying my religious heritage I discovered a few things I had forgotten. One was about the church I went to when I was in Junior High and High School. The church was the center of my social scene, 20 miles away from our home. It was the kind of church I wish all teens could go to; a huge youth group, a a dynamic speaker to keep our attention, plenty of money and staff for field trips and missions trips and retreats, the kinds of things that keep teens out of trouble. I look back fondly on those days. But the focus of this church was on evangelism, and in some ways I now see how that tripped me up a bit. I learned well the Sinner’s Prayer. I learned how to convert the unsure. I went door to door in neighborhoods surrounding the church asking people if they knew Christ. I learned a lot about repentance, about quickly admitting sins and asking for forgiveness. I rededicated my life to God’s service so many times it would make your head spin.
What I missed out on is understanding the life of a mature believer. It was really a lot like the fairytale stories: We’d get a good picture of how rough life was without God, we’d get to watch the conversion, and then the story would end. I guess I supposed it would be happily ever after. I shortly thereafter discovered I was wrong, and right.
In the above prophecy in Joel, God is promising his people they will see abundant restoration of all they had lost. Sounds nice, but if you think about the context its even more awe inspiring. Because the locusts talked about in verse 25? They were EARNED. The nation of Israel had failed and failed and failed again. And they were punished. But when they turned back to God were they forgiven? YES! Was it all forgotten? YES! And so much more. I believe God doesn’t expect us to be perfect. In fact, I believe God expects us to be imperfect. And when we trust in His plan, believe only He can save us, and work to turn our lives over to His care, we won’t just "get by" or "slip in by the seat of our pants." The message I heard at that church was that I needed to become a believer and then I would get into heaven. But of course that left a huge gap of what happens between my conversion and the end of my life.
I have since learned that conversion isn’t just for heaven. It’s for living. Living a life of freedom and abundance. Yes, I believe God has a bounty for us here and now. I believe our lives can be full of the desires of our heart. As we are changed by Him and seek His wishes, we will also find we will receive "far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think-Ephesians 3:20" In Matthew 6 it says, "31. So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32. For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." in Psalms 37:4 it says, "Delight yourself in the LORD ; And He will give you the desires of your heart ."
I have seen this so many times in my life. I have failed so many times, in big ways, have hurt people with my failures, have hurt myself. And yet God has been more than generous with me. I am often overwhelmed with the mystery of the amazing adventures that I’ve had. With the loving, wonderful husband who found me and who rescues me still. For the children that never cease to amaze me. Sure, there are still rough patches, which show me ways in which I am clutching on to my false sense of control over my life. I have learned to appreciate those rough times as a window into what I can do next to move closer to God. And after, the bounty far exceeds what "the locusts have eaten"