Exceedingly, Abundantly, Above All That We Ask or Think

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.  Amen.  Ephesians 3:20-21

I love those verses.  As the Lord would have it, we were blessed to hear a brother teach on this passage when he was a guest speaker in our area last fall.  The way he broke it down really stuck with me.  God is able.  He is able to do all that we ask.  Not just all we ask, but all we think.  Not just all we ask or think, but ABOVE all that we ask or think.  Not just above all that we ask or think but abundantly. . .exceedingly.  Have you ever stopped to think about all those. . .hmmm, what are they?  Adverbs?  Superlatives?  (Where are the grammar police when we need them?)

We've had verses we held onto in each of our past adoptions.  This is the passage the Lord seems to have given us for this particular journey.  Doug's teaching on this passage seemed to be an answer to prayer as we were (rather fearfully at that time, I confess) considering answering a need for a little girl who was born blind and with a severe cleft palate and needed a family.  This verse reminded us that God is able.  That situation didn't end up coming to fruition, but this passage has continued to resonate in our minds.

As soon as the previously mentioned newsletter arrived in people's mailboxes, the Lord was moving hearts to send gifts.  I can think of no more appropriate verb--the checks and the notes simply poured in.

Getting the mail each day was so much fun!  In addition to the generous monetary gifts, people shared their hearts and encouragement in notes.  Some people were moved to share what a blessing adoption had been in their lives.  Others shared their losses of longed-for children, their support of life, and their belief that children are a blessing.  Still others told us they were moved to pray for Abigail, that she might come to realize the love of the Lord in this painful season.  One lady wanted to "pay it forward" from her experience in her childhood of a couple showing her the love of Christ in hopes that we would share Christ's love with this little girl as a member of our family.  Another lady told us how she had recently been in the parking lot of an "abortuary" (her word, I assume maybe a Planned Parenthood?), mourning the approximately 40 cars in the lot and praying for the Lord to show her something she could do to help save these babies.  When she received the newsletter in her mailbox, she knew it was an answer to that prayer.  Many of these notes brought tears to our eyes and all filled our hearts with praise and thanksgiving.

In just a week, our need had been met!  We were amazed at what the Lord had done.  While we received approval for that loan from the bank, we will not need to borrow a single cent.  The Lord is indeed able--exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we ask or think--and He is glorified in the church by Christ Jesus.

How fun it was to share with as many people as we could, as quickly as we could, that the need had been met.  As in the days of Moses, we asked the people to stop giving

So Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp saying let neither man nor woman do any more work for the offering of the sanctuary.  And the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done--indeed too much.  Exodus 36:6-7

Would you ever have dreamed that this would happen?  I never would have even asked or imagined he would do this!  Yet He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all--and He chose to bring glory to Himself in the church.  How very, very full my heart is as a result of His working.