We serve an abounding, plentiful and abundant God!

“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, is slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin (Ex. 34:6-7).

This verse says that God is abounding in love and faithfulness. The word abounding means to exist in large numbers or amounts, to be plentiful and abundant!

There are reminders of it all around us

When I was a young man and living near the ocean, we would go surf-fishing each year during the summer grunion runs. Grunion are small slender fish that swarm onto beaches at night to spawn. Each wave was filled with fish and they were easy to catch. We used special surf-nets strung between two poles that were hinged together at the bottom and open at the top. When a large wave would roll in, we would dip our nets into the wave and catch huge numbers of fish as they fell into our nets. It was always a bountiful catch! It would often take more than one of us to drag the heavy net to shore. It reminds me of how Peter was directed by Jesus to catch a large number of fish. “He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.” (John 21:6 NIV). It was a truly a bountiful catch! This reminds me of just how amazing and bountiful our God is!

God abounds towards you, and you must abound towards others as well!

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, since you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Cor. 15:58 NKJV)

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Cor. 9:8 NIV)

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” (Col. 2:6 ESV)

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Rom. 15:13 ESV)