"Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Peter 1:2-4).
Some of my favorite Bible verses are promises that include the word all. Perhaps it's because my new journey with Jesus began with a promise, "You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13. Or maybe it's because I see the radical love my Father has for me. His doesn't dispense His love in small doses; rather, He lavishes me with it. It overflows in such rich abundance that there's barely room to receive it.
Take a look at this promise. Jesus says, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33). When I make Christ #1 in my life, He makes it His responsibility to give me what I need. I can rest in this promise because I have a loving Father who cares what I'm going through. He's more than willing to be my Provider and give me "all things that pertain to life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:2, italics supplied).
When my journey leads down a cloudy path where I encounter trials and troubles, I may be tempted to cry out, "Dear Lord, where are You? Have you left me all alone to fend for myself?" But then I read this precious promise in Romans 8:28. "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." So I hold onto His hand more tightly, looking up toward this light. My Father is working for me. He may have led me down this cloudy path because I need something along the way. Perhaps, there's something missing in my character, like humility or patience. Or perhaps I've been depending on myself too much. Or I haven't spent enough time kneeling at His feet.
Today, I'm walking down the valley of the shadow of death, as my mother is slipping farther away. She lays in a hospital bed in her home, barely eating and struggling to breathe. She may fall asleep in Jesus in a day or two. And the loss that I feel is sometimes unbearable. I am grieving for the mother I once knew and long to see her whole and healthy! But it is not My Father's plan. There comes a time when we must say good-bye to those we love. We must all walk through the valley of the shadow, but we need not walk there alone. For Christ walks beside us, holding our hands or holding us in His everlasting arms. "The eternal God is our refuge and underneath are His everlasting arms." Deuteronomy 33:27.
"O Love that will not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in Thee;
I give Thee back the life I owe,
That in Thine ocean depths its flow
may richer, fuller be.
O Joy that seekest me thru pain,
I cannot close my heart to Thee;
I trace the rainbow thru the rain
and feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.
A few verses past Romans 8:28 is another precious promise that I treasure in my journey. Christ, the Loving Giver, reminds me there's much more He longs to bestow. I see it when I keep my eyes on the cross. For at Calvary, God poured out the greatest demonstration of His love for me. Nowhere else in all of Scripture will I see a plainer picture of His love. Jesus gave His all for me. He sacrificed everything for my salvation. Every drop of blood that He shed was for me!
And "He who did not keep back His only Son, but gave Him up for us all, will He not with Him freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32, Bible in Basic English) How can I not place my life into His hands? He has proven Himself over and over to be worthy of my trust. He has come through for me more times than I can count. He's always there, always present to hold me up and hold me close whenever I need Him. He is there for you too. For all of us who struggle in this dark and cloudy world.
As I ponder this amazing promise, I can't help but notice that the abundance that Jesus longs to give comes when He enters my life. He gives us all things with Him! Every single blessing comes from Jesus. It comes through His presence. It's not just that He's the One who hands me those blessings. The blessings are rooted in Him. In knowing Him as my personal Friend and Savior. When I know Jesus, I know peace. I know comfort and rest. I know victory and strength. I find it all when I have Jesus.
And I find Him through His great and precious promises. For they give me a glimpse into My Father's heart. They show me how eager He is to be near me and give me all I need. I can't see what all those needs are right now. But My Father looks down into my heart and sees how His little girl needs to grow. For the greatest desire He has for us is to see His reflection in our lives. "Christ is seeking to reproduce Himself in the hearts of men; and He does this through those who believe in Him" (Christ's Object Lessons, pg. 67).
That belief means more than something I think in my head. To believe in Jesus is to trust Him completely. It's knowing He loves me and knows what is best for my good. "Thus instead of our own, it leads us to choose His way. In place of our ignorance, it accepts His wisdom; in place of our weakness, His strength; in place of our sinfulness, His righteousness" (Education, pg. 253). When I believe in Jesus and His unfailing promises, I ask Him to be Lord of my life. It means coming to Him with open hands and an open heart, knowing I'm empty without Him. And that's how His promises fill me and comfort me. Because I admit I'm poor and needy and need everything He longs to give. Not just one or 2 blessings--but absolutely everything!
Jesus says, "Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it!" (Psalm 81:10) That's another promise that I can't turn away from. I'm hungry for Jesus and I want to be filled. And God is just waiting to do it!
"Now to Him who is able to do abundantly above ALL THAT WE ASK OR THINK, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen" (Ephesians 3:20).
These ALL Promises are only the tip of the iceberg. I hope you will hunt for more of them yourselves and discover ALL the love the Father has bestowed upon you!
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