I’m just a penny in the hand of God.
Small, insignificant; not worth very much if compared to treasury bills or precious metals. And that’s okay by me. I like being a humble penny in the hand of God. He can use the most humble of things!
As I’ve been studying the Word this week, I’ve been flabbergasted at what God is showing me!
Do you know the song, Blessed Be The Name of the Lord? Every time I sing it, I cry. I re-purpose in my heart to bless the God who gave our daughter, Kristin, and “took her” away to heaven.
“You give and take away- You give and take away- My heart will choose to say- Lord blessed be Your Name.” (ie- from the book of Job)
Or did He give and take away?
Or did He “take away” with a future plan to bless and give it all back and more? (if you remember the ending of Job- it states God blessed him with double)
Stay with me. 🙂
I’ve learned that God is good- all the time. Whether I understand it or not, when I’ve experienced loss, in depression, in anxiety and worry, when I’m afraid, when I’m overwhelmed- God is still good because He is Perfect Good. His word says He has plans to prosper us and give us a future.
That doesn’t sound like God is on the “taking” side to me. At least not “taking” in a mean, indiscriminate way.
This week, fireworks went off as a mediated on a verse! *II Peter 1:2
[Tweet “II Peter 1:2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.”]
I’m thinking God isn’t a giving and taking God.
I’m thinking He’s a 100% giving God- even in our losses because He stays with us in our loss and gives comfort and hope.
I’m thinking God is a MULTIPLYING God!
I believe God is multiplying grace and peace beyond our imagination and understanding! And the multiplication occurs as our knowing increases.
If it appears He’s taking away…… (a job, a child, a marriage, my independence, financial security, my health)
Maybe – just maybe- I don’t see the bigger picture.
The question is: Can I learn to filter my losses through the 2 truths that God is Good and God is Love and He wants to grace me for eternity?
More than once, He’s taken my ashes and created beauty. He’s clothed me with the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness! He’s anointed me with the oil of joy for mourning and made my spirit dance.
My eyes have seen a glimpse of His goodness and I’m awed.
Oh, I’m so excited, my fingers are flying as I’m typing this nugget! Let me share an illustration.
If you were offered two choices-
$1,000,000.00 (yep- that’s one MILLION dollars)
or
.01 (a penny) a day that doubled in value each day for a month-
What would you choose?
I’ll spare you the math and the formula- But- because of the power of multiplication,
the penny– the lowly, humble, seemingly insignificant penny-
if that penny doubled each day for one month
that penny would be worth $$10,737,418.23! TEN MILLION dollars increasing indefinitely!
MIND BOGGLING
[Tweet “God’s #grace and love is exponentially more than I can comprehend.”]
Jesus said, “The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy but I have come to give you LIFE and give it MORE ABUNDANTLY!” (John 10:10)
It may not feel like we’re living the abundant life at this moment, but I’m promising you- we’re that penny in the hand of God.
He’s patiently doubling, multiplying, in fact, compounding, His grace in our lives!
May grace and peace be multiplied to you
in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. II Peter 1:2
In the beginning, our faith walk may not look like much. After all, a penny doubled is only 2 cents. and that doubled is only 4 cents and so on.
But if we patiently wait and understand what God is doing, at some point, there’s going to be a tipping point. An explosion of multiplication that is off the charts.
And God is multiplying His grace in us- to us- for us.
That’s how much He loves us.
Infinity. Grace. Forever.
[Tweet “Multiplying by the hand of #God is beyond our #understanding. #grace #awesomeGod”]
I see now, God is multiplying my meager.
His grace is flooding my parched places and increasing my green pastures.
His abundant life is overcoming my impoverished life.
His overcoming love is exponentially replacing my fear.
His Grace is multiplying my joy, diminishing the power of depression.
Do I still get tired, fearful, depressed, and worried?
Of course. But I see now, that’s not really the point.
His Love and Grace will ultimately overcome my weaknesses until He gets all the glory for what He’s done in a lowly penny’s life.
I have small faith and small resources, yet He multiplies His grace to me. And He offers the same outpouring of grace and peace to you!
[Tweet “God doesn’t #add blessings to our lives- He #multiplies His #grace and #peace. #infinity”]
I’d love to hear from you on this one! Please comment with thoughts or any scriptures that come to mind! How is God multiplying in your life?
Do you struggle with seeing God as a taking away God or do you see Him as withholding nothing to deliver us from sin and death?
Please share- I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
Surprising Treasures:
Romans 8:32- NLT
Since God did not spare even his own Son but
gave Him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?
II Peter 1:2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you
in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
I love you, Cindy Barclay! And how I thirsted for this today!!
I’m jumping up and down on the inside. I’m going to absorb as much as I can before “real life” comes in and hits again! GOD is multiplying His grace to US Serena! wow! Love you so much too! hugs and prayers
This is a beautiful post and actually makes me think a lot about what you wrote. I want to read it over and over again. I want to keep reading about our beautiful God who continues to multiply in our lives. Thank you.
#bloggercaregroup
thank you Misty! I feel like a pinball in a pinball machine with all the other Bible verses that come to mind- starting with Genesis where God tells us to be fruitful and multiply (and I don’t think He was just talking about children! 🙂 ) He said in Genesis- He’d multiply His covenant to us- Jesus multiplied the fishes and the loaves so there was provision above and beyond- and I could go on and on. I’m looking up the word multiply in the Bible and looking at each context. 🙂 God is amazing! thanks for stopping by!
Your insights are so precious, Cindy, moving me to boo hoo as I gather renewed appreciation for what I know of the love of God in Christ Jesus, but can neglect to appropriate some days. Thank you for all the encouragement you shower upon us! I’ve often remarked that God’s math is multiplication, pouring out such blessings that we cannot contain them (could that be why our eyes overflow?). In my own writing studies, this Scripture verse has become a new favorite: “In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.” —Isaiah 63:9 Such a precious Saviour, who keeps us so close that whatever grieves us grieves His heart as well. My heart is warmed as toast, realizing a glimmer of how much love we are awash in!
Oh Edy! I love that- God’s math is multiplication! I think the lie of the enemy that God is destroying- is that God is not for us! He is with us- He is for us! He plans to prosper us in His love- He redeems our lives from the pit! Hallelujah! I love Isaiah 63:8 “He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.” love you and thanks bunches for the encouragement you always take the time to give! xo
I love this and i LOVE you!
A penny in the hand of God is more valuable than words could ever say.
I love your heart! I’m so thankful you are in my world!
@spreadingJOY
Marie
Thanks so much Marie! I’m so thankful for you too! You “spur” me on to joyful works in the Lord! I’m thinking God is compounding you at a mighty rate! hugs and blessings
This is beautiful! What a great reminder that God does bless us. He blesses us abundantly. We just need to be patient and faithful during the very difficult times in this life. He has so much more in store for us. I constantly remind myself that “all things work together for good” even though we don’t understand. He does! Thank you so much Cindy for this great post!
Thanks Barbara for stopping by! I get so focused on my “little” sometimes and then I look up!!! He is Good and unfolding His goodness for us one step at a time! hugs and blessings!
Let me see if Cindy has taught me how to do the math. A penny of God’s love, doubled every day, equals the love that God showed mankind when He gave mankind His Son.
I love math.
lol- wow! I like that even better! God’s amazing love- to infinity and beyond.
Thank you so much for this beautiful post!!! Very encouraging!!! #BloggerCareGroup
Thanks Angie for stopping by! blessings to you today!
Thanks for sharing this blessed, inspiring post, Cindy. I am truly touched by your thoughts here….to think about God multiplying in our lives. God has been busy multiplying in my life this past year…being inspired through Third Day’s music, joining Twitter, “meeting” inspiring people who encouraged me to write again, trying to express the God in my heart with others through writing, to blogger care group, joining intense Bible Study at my church, bouncing thoughts, ideas off other Christians, more opportunities to minister to others, and just putting myself out there! Yes, God is good and God is love!
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to share your heart with me Christine! I loved your blog! Isn’t it amazing to see the “golden thread” of God’s love woven through the fabric of our lives?! We really could never out give God- our God is an awesome Father who gives good gifts to His children. So blessed to meet you! hugs and blessings