More Abundantly Than All That We Ask or Think

Artwork "Eternal Weight of Glory". VerseVisions VIII Collection. Mixed media on canvas. Copyright © 2009 by Mark Lawrence. All Rights Reserved. http://www.flickr.com/photos/marketseq/4116951443/

My friend Staci posted this as her facebook status.  I love it.

"We wait impatiently for God to provide less than what he intends to. We wait for improvement when what God promises over and over again is newness."-- Reverend Andy Pelander

It reminded me of Paul who could call his life, which included being beaten, mocked, lonely, abandoned, falsely imprisoned, tortured, impoverished, falsely accused, a "light and momentary affliction" because it pales in comparison to the "weight of glory" that awaits. 

2 Cor 4
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh....16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

It also reminded me of C.S. Lewis in the "Weight of Glory":

“The New Testament has lots to say about self-denial, but not about self-denial as an end in itself. We are told to deny ourselves and to take up our crosses in order that we may follow Christ; and nearly every description of what we shall ultimately find if we do so contains an appeal to desire. If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is no part of the Christian faith. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

Seems fitting to end this post with this:

Ephesians 3
"20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."