Where Are You Living Today?

‘To Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think…be glory…forever and ever.’ Ephesians 3:20–21 NKJV

Israel’s journey from Egypt to the Promised Land illustrates three different places you can choose to live:

(1) The place of ‘not enough’. As slaves in Egypt they were forced to depend on Pharaoh for everything. And when you have to keep relying on anyone but God, you’re not truly free. Until you understand that God is your provider, you’ll live with a ‘not enough’ mentality. Elijah was living by a stream in the middle of a famine, and ravens brought him meat each day. Then one day the ravens didn’t show up, and the brook dried up. Why? God dried up a temporary source to drive Elijah back to his true source. Understand this: regardless of what or whom He uses—God is your source. He is called ‘Jehovah Jireh’, which means the Lord will provide.

(2) The place of ‘just enough’. In the wilderness Israel had just enough manna for each day. It’s no fun struggling to just get by. But we appreciate what we have to struggle for, and we learn to trust God more. Plus, living through such seasons builds into us a tenacity to keep moving towards better things.

(3) The place of ‘more than enough’. God’s plan for Israel was ‘a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing.’ (Deuteronomy 8:9 NKJV) And His goal for you is abundance in every area of life (see 2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV). Is that so you can hoard it? No, it’s so you can bless others and fulfil your assignment in life.

So, stand on this Scripture: ‘To Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us… be glory… forever.’

你今天处在哪个位置上？

神能照着运行在我们心里的大力充充足足地成就一切，超过我们所求所想的。但愿他在教会中，并在基督耶稣里，得着荣耀，直到世世代代，永永远远。 (以弗所书 3:20-21 和合本)

以色列人从埃及到应许之地的过程，同样反映出你生活可能处在的三个不同位置：

（1）“不够”的位置。当以色列人在埃及为奴时，他们的一切都被迫依赖于法老。然而，当你依赖人而不是神的时候，你并没有真正的自由。除非你明白神才是你的供应者，否则你将生活在一种“不够”的心态中。在闹饥荒的时候，先知以利亚住在溪边，乌鸦每天给他带来食物。后来有一天乌鸦没有出现，小溪也干涸了。为什么？因为神将临时的源头枯竭了，却把以利亚带向他自己——真正源头。你要明白一点：无论神现在借着什么东西或人供应你，神自己才是你最终的源头。他被称为“耶和华以勒”，意思就是主必预备。

（2）“刚刚够”的位置。在旷野里，以色列人每天的吗哪刚刚够吃。挣扎着过日子确实不太好受，但我们仍然应该感恩我们为之奋斗的东西，并且学会更加信靠上帝。另外，经历这样的处境会让我们变得坚韧，以便于我们朝着更好的方向前进。

（3）“绰绰有余”的位置。神为以色列人所定的计划是“你在那地不缺食物，一无所缺。” (申命记 8:9 和合本) 同样的，神对你的计划是“能将各样的恩惠多多地加给你们，使你们凡事常常充足” (哥林多后书 9:8 和合本) 那么，你就可以把它藏起来吗？不！这是为了你能祝福别人，完成你的人生使命。

所以，你要依圣经所言：神能照着运行在我们心里的大力充充足足地成就一切，超过我们所求所想的……得着荣耀，直到世世代代，永永远远。

（翻译：段麦克 @ 2018-02-21）