Adequacy for Inadequacy

ADEQUACY FOR INADEQUACY

Today's devotional was written by my Dad-mentor-friend, Pastor Bill Raws. I still miss him so much. His ministry continues through the printed page. This is a keeper!

“God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, having all sufficiency in all things may have an abundance for every good work.” (1 Corinthians 9:8)

The more we learn about the Christian life, the more we sense our inadequacy for living it. If we were to cease our learning at that point, we would become gripped by hopelessness. But God never requires anything of us for which He has not made full provision. One of the Bible books which speaks to the issue of sufficiency or adequacy is 2 Corinthians. Our theme verse gives believers perspective on the resources available and the results anticipated.

Four elements are pointed out by Paul which provide hope. First, the author of our adequacy is God. In assessing the demands for Christian living and ministry we must begin with God (not with ourselves and our resources). Second, His ability to compensate for our inadequacy. One of the most blessed clauses in the scriptures is “He is able.” It is used in giving hope and confidence to God’s people under any type of situation. One of God’s Old Testament names is God Almighty – El Shaddai, the God who is enough. Third, the avenue through which adequacy is provided – “all grace abound.” The Bible presents a number of types of grace provided by God. Included are saving, serving and suffering grace. These are incorporated in the “all grace.” The words all and abound indicate the limitless supply available. Fourth, His aim in extending grace is that believers be fitted for every good work.

In order to emphasize the completeness of the adequacy provided, Paul uses terms of totality – always, all and every. God’s grace is made always available at all times, providing all sufficiency, in all things, so that the believer will have an abundance for every good work.

As reinforcement for our theme verse, we should be reminded of chapter 3, verse 5: “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.”

In the light of these passages the believer has no basis for claiming inadequacy for following the will of the Lord. In order to have God’s provision become a reality, appropriation by faith must be exercised on a continuing basis. -- Rev. William A. Raws

God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 27; Exodus 16-18; Matthew 18:1-20

Great Quote: Prayer changes things--and people. I have found that out so many times but I often wonder how God puts up with me with all my faults and failures. Surely He must have INFINITE patience to put up with all of us who make such blunders as we try to represent Him in this hell-raising world, and to be perfectly frank, 'We ain't seen nuthin' yet'. --David Otis Fuller