All Grace

God is able to make all grace abound to you,

So that in all things at all times,

Having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

                                              2 Corinthians 9:8

All grace. All things. All times. All needs. Will abound. Teem like fish in a hatchery pool. Overflow like water in the Niagara Falls. More than enough. Every bit, every crumb and drop, with none left out, all. All of God's lovingkindness is poured out upon us, extravagantly.

All grace. Abounds.

Let that knowledge sift down into the cracks and crevices.

It all sounds lovely on paper, but what does that look like? How could that be?

I would like to tease that out of circumstances that were twisted. Out of a heart that was all knotted up. How could the impossible be untangled?

I think that sometimes grace can be confused with a lack of hard in our lives. When we reach a place of "Are you kidding me?!?", we erroneously assume that God's merciful kindness was insufficient. The truth is, storms come causing billowing seas. At times you are sure you will drown, that your boat will sink. Each time that happens, God's favor, His bounty, His grace, will abound. It will overflow like the pie that leaks over the sides of the pan in the oven. His bounty will be a sure refuge in the storm.

When we spent a month with our daughter with those cells, wayward, and witnessed her sure demise, the Lord generously provided for us.

Beyond the finances necessary to be away from home for a month, we were given a beautiful place to stay. A quiet place of refuge for us, away from people and the hard of watching our daughter die. Our God strengthened us physically despite lack of sleep or reliable meals. He granted us courage each day to sit with this one that we cherished who was wasting away before our eyes. He provided phone calls and emails and ears that listened to the raw and to the tears. It wasn't a partial gift like giving someone a torn dollar bill. No. This was an abundant gift of grace that held us captive in His love and goodness. Exceedingly above and beyond all that we could ask or imagine. Even now that the storm has died down, and I am left with the wreckage of grief, I am still held. The measure of His goodness continues to exceed my expectations. I have been furnished so richly, that I have an abundance. His bounty and benefits overwhelm me.

Thus, the knots become untangled. The twisted becomes straight once more, like the mess of yarn that I finally rolled into a ball.

All grace.

In all things.

At all times.

Having all that you need.

It abounds.

Because God, He is able.