Without Restraint

What You give, God,

is lavish

and generous

and overflowing

 

You don’t just stop at need,

You go over

and above

and then some

 

You are our God of much

and we are your people most blessed

 

And what You give

is not always what we expect

 

For the world sees lavish

different

than You do

 

You know how to give

good gifts

to Your children

 

With leftovers

 

Not the least of which

is Yourself

 

Our greatest gift of all

 

Friend, if you think God is holding out on you,

look again

 

and find

Love without restraint

 

– Susie Stewart

 

Then Jesus called His disciples and told them, “I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry, or they will faint along the way.”

The disciples replied, “Where would we get enough food here in the wilderness for such a huge crowd?”

Jesus asked, “How much bread do you have?”

They replied, “Seven loaves, and a few small fish.”

So Jesus told all the people to sit down on the ground. Then He took the seven loaves and the fish, thanked God for them, and broke them into pieces. He gave them to the disciples, who distributed the food to the crowd.

They all ate as much as they wanted. Afterward, the disciples picked up seven large baskets of leftover food. There were 4,000 men who were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children….

– Matthew 15:32-39 (NLT)

 

…your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask Him!

– Matthew 6:8 (NLT)

 

He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins. He has showered His kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

– Ephesians 1:7, 8 (NLT)

 

Yahweh! The Lord!
The God of compassion and mercy!
I am slow to anger
and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations.

– Exodus 34:6,7 (NLT)

 

So if you, who are sinful, know how to give your children good gifts, how much more so does your Father in heaven, who is perfect, know how to give great gifts to His children!

– Matthew 7:11 (VOICE)

 

Consider the kind of extravagant love the Father has lavished on us—He calls us children of God! It’s true; we are His beloved children.

– 1 John 3:1 (VOICE)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart

Light Of The World

 

Light of the World

 

It is what we call You, God,

because of Your glory

Your redemption

Your Beauty

 

and more

 

And we, in whom Your Spirit dwells

are also

 

The light of the world

 

We share this title

 

Not on equal footing

but because we are like lanterns

 

in which Your spirit burns

and glows

 

We are vessels of Your hope

and Your glory

 

Your light in us

will not burn out

 

Just as Your glory will always

bring light

to the darkness

 

We are not meant to be hidden

from a world of darkness

 

for in that world

we are the light of it

 

The light of the world

 

– Susie Stewart

 

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

– Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)

 

When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

– John 8:12 (NIV)

 

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

– John 1:5 (NIV)

 

But you are a chosen people, set aside to be a royal order of priests, a holy nation, God’s own; so that you may proclaim the wondrous acts of the One who called you out of inky darkness into shimmering light.

– 1 Peter 2:9 (VOICE)

 

Photo by Gracie Oertli