How much more… Man, those words have been swirling in my head! We – well, I – tend to miss stuff on a regular basis. I can read a passage of scripture and think, Oh, that’s nice… But when someone starts to break that same passage down, I gain a brand-new appreciation for that bit of scripture.
If you then, evil (sinful by nature) as you are, know how to give good and advantageous gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven [perfect as He is] give what is good and advantageous to those who keep on asking Him. Matthew 7:11 AMP
My go-to passage for calming my mess (I always tell my kiddos to calm their mess) is usually Matthew 6:25-34. Jesus presents the problem (our being stressed about the daily stuff, the tomorrow stuff… all the stuff), and He offers the solution. Not a solution, but the solution. Seek Him = Problems solved. But God knows His creation all too well and decided to continue on in Matthew 7:7-11 as a way to reiterate that we need to calm our mess – He has us well taken care of.
I’ve read this passage so many times – even quoted it – but those three little words stuck out to me as I read it the other day in my devotional. I’ve written over the last few months that if it’s not good, then God’s not done. Please know that I can’t take credit for this pearl of wisdom. I don’t know who said it first, but it is in at least two of my favorite praise and worship songs.
If it’s not good, then God’s not done. He will give only what is good and advantageous. He’s not going to give us anything evil. That means that He’s not going to give us a gift of disease, disability, He’s not in the business of killing loved ones or babies, and He doesn’t give us the gift of poverty.
I don’t deny that bad things happen to us. It seems that everyone has been touched by evil at some point – to one extreme or another. What I hope that we can all agree on is that God allows quite a bit, but that does not make Him the author. God is either good or He’s not. He does not partner with evil.
But here’s part of the how much more: God can turn even the worst moments into something beautiful if we allow Him to. These three little words had me looking at other passages that mention the how much more of God.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows grace and favor and honor; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. Psalm 84:11 AMP
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes]. James 1:17 AMP
He who did not spare [even] His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32 AMP
How. Much. More.
I love these passages! No good thing will He withhold… Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from God… He will graciously give us all things… I did some digging into the Greek word that we get the word all from. It’s Strong’s G3956 (pâs) and it means each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, and everything. All means all.
Joking aside, let’s take a look closer at Romans 8:32. Extend a bit of grace as I put this in my own words to express my understanding of it:
The Creator of all things chose to not even hold back from us His only Son – Jesus – but gave Him as a payment-in-full for the debt we all owed. What could He possibly have that is more valuable than His Son that He would choose to hold back from us? Instead, along with His only Son, He is excited to freely give us all things.
Yes, I know that is not how any of the English translations of Romans 8:32 go – it is purely in my own words – but do you see God’s goodness in the official translation even more after reading the not so official version (admit it – my version was pretty good)? God gave us His own Son! There is nothing more valuable than Jesus, so why would God hold anything back when He didn’t withhold His Son?
“Ask and keep on asking and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking and you will find; knock and keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7 AMP
I’ve had those spiritual highs where I’m in the Word every chance I can get, I’m blasting my praise and worship all the time, my gut instinct for any problem is to talk with God about it… but what about those times that we’re a bit more caught up in life? We’re needing the paycheck to stretch a little farther so we start looking at how we can earn more. We might even rely on a credit card instead of relying on God.
But Jesus is telling us to ask for what we want and need… and to keep asking. Seek out the solution (your solution is always seeking Jesus – His kingdom and His righteousness)… and keep seeking. Knock on the door and keep on knocking till it opens.
For everyone who keeps on asking receives, and he who keeps on seeking finds, and to him who keeps on knocking, it will be opened. Matthew 7:8 AMP
How. Much. More.
I want to challenge you to seek out scriptures that speak of God’s grace and mercy… His lovingkindness, goodness, and compassion. No matter what you face, at the foundation of your faith, you must trust that God is good and has good for you.
Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 AMP