Enough and then some

               My husband and I have stayed in a number of Bed and Breakfasts over the years, and we have definitely had all kinds of experiences, some expected, some not.  At the end of June, we met longtime friends from Omaha, Nebraska, in Kansas City for a couple nights in part observing our June wedding anniversaries.  My husband did the “advance work” and found a Bed and Breakfast in a big, old house in the northern part of the city.  There were three rooms available: two smaller bedrooms with a shared bath and one larger area with a large bedroom, separate bath and a room with a sitting area and a pool table.  We chose the smaller bedrooms to save money.

               Before we arrived, my husband called the owners for some information.  Since the time we booked the rooms, a young man had come to stay with them while waiting for an apartment.  He was given the small bedroom, so we were “bumped up” to the large, third story area at no extra charge.  That turned out to be even better than expected.  The men played several rounds of pool, and we all enjoyed visiting in the sitting area.  The second day of our stay, we drove to Independence to visit the Truman Library.  After an interesting tour of it, we headed back and happened upon the old corner drugstore where Truman worked as a teenager.  How could we pass up a historically significant place to eat ice cream? 

               This little trip illustrates something about how generous God can be with us, often giving us even more than we ask for.  Recently, I heard a teaching on the healing of the paralytic man that stressed the fact that he was given more than he or his friends even expected.  The friends took him to Jesus for healing, and some friends they were.  When the crowd kept them from getting into the house where Jesus was, they went up on the roof and lowered him down.  These people weren’t taking no for an answer.  But Jesus, seeing their faith, first granted the man forgiveness for his sins (Mathew 9:1-8).  Then he provided what they were seeking as he healed the man, telling him to “take up your bed and go to your house.”      

               Having experiences beyond even our good expectations—like our trip to Kansas City—are helping me to better understand the overflowing lovingkindness of God.  He has an abundant supply, and He is most gracious and generous in His responses to our prayers and petitions.  Jesus is the giver of more than enough.  When He fed the 5,000, there were leftovers, right?