Exceeding

            “If I told you once, I have told you a hundred times.” That was a phrase that I often heard from either my Mom or my Dad in reference to something that I had done or not done depending on the situation. I was fortunate to never have been told to clean my room because I didn't have one. When we started out in Rolling Prairie, Indiana, the only thing I had was a fold out couch in the kitchen. It did fine for me because in the morning I just folded it back into a couch and my “room” was ready to go. I did, however, get lectured with the short statements about something that I was supposed to have learned. I doubt that I actually was told a hundred times, but it is interesting to note that God does make reference to some things quite often. First Timothy 1:12-14 says, “ And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” The word that catches my attention today is the word, “exceeding.”

           God uses the word some 59 times in the Bible and most of them are what we would call “positive” statements. That is, they reflect something good and exciting about what God is doing in the world. We might be aware of God's grace but Paul expanded the thought with the addition of the word, “exceeding.” There was not just a little amount of grace, even though that in itself would be great, but His grace in the life of Paul was “exceeding abundant.” It is interesting to go through the number of references that have the word “exceeding” in them to notice what God is really doing in our lives today. There is joy and there is exceeding joy. In Genesis 15, Abraham was told that he had an exceeding great reward. Psalm 21 says that the Psalmist was “exceeding glad.” Psalm 42 speaks of “exceeding joy.” Jonah was “exceeding glad” for the gourd. Mark 2 mentions that they rejoiced with “exceeding great joy.” We can rest assured that God never does something just half way or just enough to get by. It is the greatest of all characteristics. It is interesting to note that God doesn't just give us joy, but exceeding great joy. Whatever you and I have to face today, we can rest in the fact that God has it in His hands and will take care of it “exceedingly.” Praise God today that he does over and beyond all that we ever ask or think.