Thursday, 1st week: God Always Gives More Than Enough

"If there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will you give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" Matthew 7:9-11

    God is a God of abundance, not a God of scarcity. Jesus reveals to us God's abundance when he offers so much bread to the people that there are twelve large baskets with leftover scraps, and when he enables his disciples catch so many fish that their boat nearly sinks. God doesn't give us just enough. God gives us more than enough; more bread and fish than we can eat, more love than we dared imagine or ask for.

    God is a generous giver, but we can only see and enjoy God's generosity when we love God with all our hearts, minds, and strength. As long as we say, "I will love you God, but first show your generosity," we will remain distant from God and unable to experience what God truly wants to give us, which is life and life in abundance.

    "Lord, help me to love you with all my heart, mind and strength. In that very loving I receive all the bounty of your love."

Henri Nouwen