But to each one of us grace has been given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.  Eph. 4:7 (NKJ)

In 2008, I sat on the rocks of False Bay in Capetown, South Africa studying this scripture when the Lord spoke a huge truth into my life concerning His abounding grace.  When you look at this scripture the Lord tells us, through the pen of Paul, that “to each one of us grace was given according to the ‘measure of Christ’s gift.’ (emphasis mine)  The measure of Christ’s gift?  How do we measure Christ’s gift?  Well, Christ gave His all or His fullness.  But, our understanding of fullness is limited.  Fullness to us would be demonstrated by taking a glass and placing it under a water fountain filling it to the very rim of the glass until nothing else could be added.  This is full, right?  Maybe to us, but not to a God that is limitless.

The fullness that we understand carries with it an idea of ‘enough’.  But, when you remove the limiting factor of fullness there now becomes no boundary….no end….no limit.  If we were to look at ‘fullness’ from the perspective of limitlessness (my word) we would have to modify our demonstrating picture.  Let’s take the same glass and let’s place it under a water fountain, but this ‘Fountain’ has no limits.  This Fountain never get’s turned off.  This Fountain has a limitless supply of ‘water’.  So, as our glass sits under this Fountain, the water fills to the very rim and then begins to flow over the side.  And it flows…and it flows….and it flows….and it flows….and it flows….and it flows….you get the point.

How exciting!  Hallelujah!  Our Loving, Wonderful, Giving, Overflowing God has given to us an overflowing grace that never ends!  Do you understand what this means?  You and I have been given the all-sufficient grace that we need to live this life we have been called to live!  No matter our circumstances, no matter the trials, no matter what questions we have, no matter the answers we do not have, no matter the challenges that lie ahead….we already have the grace we need!  I am having a difficult time containing myself!  How exciting is this?!  Our God is FAITHFUL and BOUNTIFUL!

Since that morning on the rocks of False Bay my prayers have changed somewhat.  My prayers now concerning God’s overflowing grace have been….”Lord, teach me now to live in the grace that you have already given me and continue to give.  This is huge for believers.  We do not need to “clean up our act” and live better.  We just need to “live out” the grace that has been given!  Praise the Lord!

I need YOU Lord!  I desperately need YOU!

Shane Black