As if that weren't enough . . .

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable His judgments and unfathomable His ways!
For who has known the mind of the Lord or who became His counselor?
Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again?
For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.
To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
Romans 11:33-36

God is good. He is righteous and just and merciful and generous and compassionate and true and unfathomable and awesome and GOOD.

Helpless. Dead. Wrath's bastard child. Enslaved to lusts of mind and flesh. Flailing about in darkness. Drowning in sin's murky filth. Grasping at the burning misery of self-elevation. Running hard - away from the only One Who could save me from myself. Rushing full-speed toward certain doom.

but

BUT!!!!

But GOD . . .

Rich in mercy. Full of a great and unparalleled LOVE. The author of life. Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End. Giver of every good and perfect gift. Grace personified. Truth eternal. Power unimaginable.

But God, while I was dead in my errant ways, reached down and made me alive together with Christ - by grace, through faith!! O undeserved gift! Christ became human, then became sin, so that in Him I could become righteous. When the perfect and holy God looks at me, He sees - not my sin, but - Christ, the spotless lamb, sacrificed for my wrongdoing. It is through HIS blood, poured out for me, that I stand before God unblemished, pure.

I think I will spend eternity trying to wrap my puny, finite mind around this truth.

I know I will spend eternity trying to say thank you.

As if that weren't enough . . .

He's given me health. He's blessed me with a wonderful best friend and lover and made us one flesh. He's given us four children, who I pray every day will grow to know Him and to love Him with their whole being.

As if that weren't enough . . .

He's overwhelmed us with a Christ-chasing church body; with friends who daily love on and sharpen us; with parents and grandparents who prayed for us and taught us the things we now pray for and teach our children.

As if that weren't enough . . .

He provides all of our needs daily - food, clothing, shelter - and oh, so many things that aren't needs at all, but that we enjoy and take for granted because we've never had to do without them.

I owe Him everything. He owes me nothing. Yet He's given, and continues to give, more than I could ever hope for.

And as if all of this weren't enough . . .

I get to spend all of eternity (it makes me dizzy) worshiping Him. Reveling in the delirious and unending joy that flows from His presence.

What a cost! What a gift! What a love! I want to shout it into the falling snow - to thank Him with a resounding voice . . . and with my life. What does this mean? What great and wonderful avenues for expressing my appreciation lie ahead? I have no idea. But this I do know: I can, and resolve to, begin by honoring Him in the daily moments of my life NOW. To take pleasure in serving Him in whatever way He chooses to use me. And to do it in the strength that He alone can and does supply. Oh how I love Him!

Praise the Lord! Praise God in Hi sanctuary. Praise Him in His mighty expanse.
Praise Him for His mighty deeds. Praise Him for His excellent greatness. . .
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Psalm 150:1,2,6