Dear Redeeming Grace,

There are some verses of scripture that give such hope and encouragement, that we would be wise to memorize and hold them close. I think the verse Dave read for our benediction last week is one of those. Since a week can be a long way away, here's the verse:

"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." (2 Cor. 9:8 ESV)

As we thought last week about putting on generosity by sharing what God gives us and praising him as we do, we find that there is a sense in which we are all conduits. We can be a means of abundant blessing to others because God has abundantly blessed us.

Notice the repetition of the word "abound" in that verse. God's grace abounds to us first. Because of that, we have all we need to always abound in every good work. Maybe we could put it this way: His abundant grace supplies our abundant generosity.

When we view it that way, we can ask God to give us the grace that fills us and pours out in generously and joyfully sharing all he blesses us with.