Plenty

Recently – I can’t tell you when because there have been so many churches in the last three months – we were worshipping on a Sunday and the pastor at the church read a prayer and thanked God for God’s plenty.  I was instantly distracted from the rest of the prayer by this one simple, old-fashioned word.

Plenty:  defined as “a large or sufficient quantity; more than enough.”  From the Latin word “plenus” which means full.  What a beautiful and evocative word to describe our relationship with God.

Our generous and gracious God provides plenty: a large and sufficient quantity.  Sometimes he is extravagant in his blessings. Sometimes he appears stingy in the amount he provides.  Usually this perceived stinginess is more a matter of our own response:  he asks us to help provide and we are grudging and ungrateful in how we give back.  So it turns out that he has provided plenty but we are selfishly withholding what we should be passing on.

We are surrounded by such an abundance of things that we can’t find what we need because it is covered by excess.  One of the things I really appreciate about downsizing was having to decide what was most important, and then having to decide how much was enough.  And it turns out that no matter how much I left behind, I still have – plenty!

I want to continue to be satisfied, even grateful, for the plenty I have.  I have a sufficient quantity of things and an abundance of God’s love and grace.  I am so grateful for the people God has placed in my life.  Every day, again, I discover that there is plenty:  plenty of people to love, plenty of things to do, plenty of joy.  My life is full.

Thank you God, for the plenty you give each day  Help me be content with the fullness of your love and grace.  Because of you, I have – I am – plenty.