(ThyBlackMan.com) 2 Corinthians 9:8: “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.”
Grace is defined by most dictionaries as “God’s unmerited favor.” It is God’s unconditional love and never-ending provision. The biblical definition of grace is more expansive. Grace is: “The spontaneous, unmerited gift of the divine favor in the salvation of sinners.” It is: “The divine influence operating in individuals for their regeneration and sanctification.” Grace is: “God’s life, power and righteousness given to us by unmerited favor.”
Grace abounds in our everyday life. The word “abounds” means “to be present in large numbers or in great quantity or to be prevalent.” In essence, humans experience grace in numerous ways from salvation to the daily provisions essential to our every need. Abounding grace is grace in overflow and abundance. It is God’s love and provision beyond our daily needs.
In 2 Corinthians 9:8, the Apostle Paul provides the readers instruction on how God wants us to give. Paul begins in 2 Corinthians 9:1-2 instructing us to always be ready to give. In 2 Corinthians 9:3-5 Paul sends Titus and the others to pick up the collection. In 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, Paul reminds us of the reward of giving and how important it is to have the right heart in giving. Our giving should be bountiful if we expect to be rewarded bountifully. And 2 Corinthians 9:8-9 is adamant in its assertion that the right kind of giving is always blessed.
Here’s the text again for your reflection: “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” God is able. God’s grace is sufficient in all things at all times. And God makes grace abound, in abundance, in every good work!
Why is God’s grace powerful? Because we can trust the enabling power of God’s grace! As one commentator notes: “It enables the recipient to do and to be what he or she cannot do and cannot be if left to his or her own means.” All of us need such an enabling power.
Enabling grace also teaches us to be content. In fact, the word “sufficient” in the text means “contentment.” God’s abounding grace is so amazing that it gives us the ability to be content regardless of the situation we are facing. We are content because God will see us through!
Grace abounds! God’s children are the perpetual recipients of this amazing grace. It is an eternal God-given grace which calls us to salvation, holds us up and heals us when we are sick, encourages us to never give up, empowers us to make it through all of life’s travesties and tragedies, and equips us to do the work that God calls us to do.
If you are reading this and facing some challenge or hardship, as we all must from time to time, remind yourself that grace abounds. If you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, remind yourself that grace abounds.
We are blessed so that we can be a blessing to others. God wants us to be channels of blessing, not reservoirs of blessings. Grace abounds today. Grace abounds forever. Thank God for God’s abounding grace. Grace abounds!
Written by Dr. Preston T. Adams III
Official website; https://Twitter.com/DrPrestonTAdams
