More Than Enough.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him” (Lamentations 3:24).

As I reflect on a year of God’s goodness, I am grateful that Jesus Christ is enough. He is all I need—"my portion."  With Him there is unswerving, unshakable and undeniable hope.  Period.

In his book, Grief & Pain in the Plan of God, Walter Kaiser comments on Lamentations 3, “Therefore, we can say with full assurance: ‘I will hope in Him.’  This chapter is indeed about hope, but not hope as a wish with a slight degree of certainty that we will ever obtain or receive anything; this hope carries solid confidence and the highest degree of certainty because it is well-grounded in the God of all grace, mercy, and faithfulness.  His love and mercy to us are unending.”

Yet, my heart wanders.  Pulled by my own flesh, I daily battle pursuing the desires of the flesh that do not satisfy versus the thirst quenching, all-satisfying communion with Christ.  “Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14).

God, as always, is faithful.  "God who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful" (1 Corinthians 1:9).  Here are some of the things that I am praising Him for:

Salvation in Jesus Christ.  “If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared” (Psalm 130:3-4).

Sweet times of fellowship with the Lord in His Word.  “You are my portion, O Lord; I have promised to obey your words. I have sought your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise” (Psalm 119:57-58).

God’s all sufficient grace and healing during surgery, recovery, and rehab. “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Financial and physical provision.  God has provided the means to cover a myriad of medical bills to loving parents that have allowed me to recover in their home amidst being on crutches for the year. “Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God”  (Proverbs 30:7-9).

My first surgery in March was not immediately covered by insurance.  It went through an appeals process.  Through it God answered prayer and the surgery was finally covered.  If this did not happen, the subsequent surgeries in June, September and here in December may not have been covered either. 

In a very small way, the fellowship in the sharing of His sufferings. “More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Philippians 3:8-10).

Opportunities to share and show the love of Christ through the Gospel.  “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24).

Gifted physicians, medical staff, and physical therapists. Their assistance in my life this year has been significant as I look forward to walking again free of pain.

Prayer.  I have seen God work this year through prayer like never before in my life.  I am grateful for so many who have, are and will be praying for me.  From extra strength after surgery during recovery to quick healing to opportunities to share the Gospel and encourage others in their walk with the Lord.  "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (James 5:16b)