God is Able

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. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. (2 Corinthians 9:8-11 ESV). Today I am going to begin to single out a few words that describe our God. The first one I’ve chosen is “able.” God is able. “Able” is really an adjective. In fact, the dictionary says it is an indicator meaning “having the power, skill, means, or opportunity to do something.” Some of the synonyms are: “intelligent, clever, talented, skillful, skilled, accomplished, gifted; proficient, apt, good, adroit, adept.”

You may remember that a few weeks ago found me in the hospital having angioplasty performed to alleviate blockages in the arteries of my heart. I’m told that the doctor was a bit surprised that I had not had a significant heart attack prior to the procedure. While I had some symptoms, there was no indication from any of the tests that there was any real danger. Of course the symptoms were a bit scary for my family. They had me on a very tight leash and practically inactive. Well, I am doing significantly better. In fact, I’m back in the shop and doing some things I haven’t been able to do for quite some time. As you can see from the picture, I’m even able to climb on the roof and do some work there! I really didn’t have permission to climb on the roof, but I was able. It is amazing how much satisfaction I felt when I got up there and put the roof decking on. That brings me to this incredible declaration in our reading today. The apostle simple says, “God is able to make all grace abound to you.” This broad statement about the nature and power of God reaches into every experience of our lives. While the context is the financial circumstances of the believers in Corinth, it extends much further than that. Paul simply declares there is nothing God cannot do in and for us. He says God has this ability “so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” It is always more than we need and designed to allow us to “abound.” It might not always feel that way, but the truth remains. What is it that you feel you simply cannot overcome? What is happening in your life that gives you feelings of inadequacies? God is able. He is intelligent, clever, talented, skillful, skilled, accomplished, gifted, proficient, apt, good, adroit, and adept enough to make you abound! Trust Him!