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When abundance is categorized, it is usually placed in the blessings column in lieu of the curses column. But that is not always the case as we will see in today's devotional.

Have you ever tasted something that was absolutely so delicious that you just couldn't stop eating it? Well I did the first time I ate one of Aunt Ethel's fried apple pies. I was about nine or ten years old at the time and to my knowledge, I had never had a fried pie, especially not one of aunt Ethel's. She was an old fashioned southern cook who set a table fit for a king at almost every meal. It was supper time (that's dinner for you folks from the city) and as the family finished off the fresh vegetables and fried chicken, my aunt placed on the table a platter piled high with fried apple pies. I remember how wonderful they looked and smelled all coated with white confectioner's sugar and piping hot. But the look and the smell was nothing to compare with the melt-in-my-mouth goodness that soon captured all of my attention. Five or six pies later, I retired from the table, stuffed and in awe of my aunt's cooking skills. Later that night I paid for my indiscretions at the table in ways that I am sure you can well imagine; you've probably been there and it isn't pretty! Abundance is usually seem as a good thing, but too much of a good thing can sometimes be a curse.

Read the following Psalm and note the abundant things that are mentioned in it. “Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD; Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive To the voice of my supplications. If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared. I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord More than those who watch for the morning — Yes, more than those who watch for the morning. O Israel, hope in the LORD; For with the LORD there is mercy, And with Him is abundant redemption. And He shall redeem Israel From all his iniquities.” (Psalm 130.1-8).

First, there was abundant despair and sorrow. The writer cries “out of the depths.” He was overwhelmed by the consciousness of his sinful past. But, he recognized a wonderful principle concerning God and His forgiving nature. Regardless of the abundance of sins that he had committed, God's ability and willingness to forgive was even more abundant.

Secondly, the psalmist was more than aware of the abundant nature of God's mercy and the redemption that flowed without ceasing from that stream of mercy. In fact, the writer used the term abundant redemption. This abundance of redemption was a blessing that was as great as the greatest blessing and it swallowed up the abundant curse of sin that threatened the moral conscience of the psalmist. He worshipped the same God who, according to the New Testament, “...is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.” (Ephesians 3.20). To extend these thoughts further, we quote another New Testament writer and his appraisal of God: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1.3).

As a kid I began with abundant delight with Aunt Ethel's pies and ended with abundant despair in the middle of the night. The psalmist who penned today's focus text began with abundant despair and ended with abundant delight. That is how it is with God. His abundance is able to wipe away every tear and remove every stain. No wonder the psalmist said, “I wait for the Lord.” There's no such thing as too much God!

Questions:

1. The 130th Psalm is one of the songs of ascents. You might want to research what this means.

2. What is signified by the expression “Out of the depths” in Psalm 130? The depths of what?

3. How abundant is God's mercy and redemption? What limits do they know?

4. How were we [believers] “begotten again unto a living hope”?

"Refreshment in Refuge" from Gina Burgess

Things that go bump in the night