Life abundant!

(originally posted on Yahoo!360 on May 20, 2006)

Browsing through my digital pictures from 2001 to the present, I came across this picture my hubby took of me on my very first vineyard trip in Kamphaengphet, Thailand. The vineyard was not that big but it was amazing how the short, little vines can produce so much fruit! It made me think of the word “abundant” or “abundance” in the Bible. In the translation I use, “abundant” appears 23 times; “abundance” appears 77 times. Many, if not most, of those verses referred to God and His divine nature. Here are a few verses I collected:

Numbers 14:18 The Lord is longsuffering and ABUNDANT in mercy, forgiving inquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the father on the children to the third and fourth generation.

Nehemiah 9:17 They refused to obey, and they were not mindful of Your wonders that You did among them. But they hardened their necks, and in their rebellion they appointed a leader to return to their bondage. But YOU ARE GOD, ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, ABUNDANT in kindness, and did not forsake them.

Psalm 86:5 For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and ABUNDANT in mercy to all those who call upon You.

Psalm 85:15 But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and ABUNDANT in mercy and truth.

John 4:2 ...for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and ABUNDANT in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.

I Timothy 1:14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly ABUNDANT, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 65:11 You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with ABUNDANCE.

Wow! I have a life of abundance – abundant with God’s mercy, grace, love, kindness, goodness and patience. In the Book of John chapter 15, Jesus talks about Him being the vine, and we are the branches. Only if we abide in Him, we bear much fruit. I want to abide with THE VINE so that my life will be a fruit that springs forth from Jesus alone.