Our Abundant God

            Our God is an abundant God. We don’t serve One who is stingy. To prove my point, consider the account of Joseph in the Old Testament.
           
            There was a severe famine in the land of Israel. Joseph’s brothers went down to Egypt to purchase food. The Governor of the land, who they did not recognize as their brother, Joseph, who they had sold into slavery years before, told them not to return for more food unless they brought their youngest brother, Benjamin.
           
            The brothers’ father, Jacob was heartbroken when he heard the Governor’s decree and would not let his boys return to Egypt. Jacob had lost his favored son, Joseph and he did not want to lose Benjamin, Joseph’s full brother.
           
        However, necessity won out. The food brought back from Egypt the first time was gone. Without food, everyone would die. So finally, with much angst, Jacob allowed Benjamin to return to Egypt with his brothers.
Genesis 43:11 says that, “Jacob sent down a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds.” He wanted to appease the Governor. Notice that it says a little – probably all he had.
           
             But what came back to Jacob?

          Genesis 45:23 says that Joseph sent to his father “ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt…with grain and bread and provisions…” When Jacob “saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him…(he) revived” (verse 27).
           
           In Jacob’s day, no one had wagons or carts. You travelled by loading your donkey and walking beside it. The carts were from the Pharaoh of Egypt. They probably had Pharaoh’s insignia on them. I’m sure the eyes of Jacob’s neighbors bulged when his sons drove in the driveway.
           
             The brothers had left with shepherd’s clothing. They returned with the latest designer apparel from Egypt.
           
         Our God is an abundant God. I read an article about Dallas Theological Seminary. At one point in its early history, it was on the point of bankruptcy. The bank was coming to call the loan.
           
         A group of board members were praying about the situation. Harry Ironside, pastor of Moody Church in Chicago from 1929 to 1948, was among the group and he prayed, “Father, You own the cattle on a thousand hills. You know our need. Please sell some cattle.”
           
           At that point, a rancher was outside in the reception area, speaking to the receptionist. He told her that he had just sold cattle up in Fort Worth and felt that the Lord wanted him to give the money from the sale to Dallas Theological Seminary. The rancher handed the receptionist a check.
           
        The receptionist took the check into the men who were praying. The amount of the check was the exact amount needed to pay off the loan. One of the men said to Harry Ironside, “it looks like God just sold some cattle, Harry.”
           
​            Our God is an abundant God. “You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19 The Message). Dare to believe His promises. Don’t throw away your confidence. Hebrews 10:35 says that “…it will be richly rewarded.”