Tuesday, June 27, 2017

INFINITELY MORE!

It was 1995 when the first Toy Story Movie hit the big screen.  By 1999 Toy Story 2 was being released, and we had a 2-year-old and a 5-year-old in the house.   It didn't take long for those famous words of Buzz Lightyear to become a frequent part of our household vocabulary.  "To infinity and beyond".

In our meager attempts as parents to quantify the great love we had for our small children, it often became a Saturday morning (and even sometimes, a bedtime) ritual.

Cushions removed and placed on the floor (for safe landing), their tiny legs would climb up the couch and they would wait.
"How much do we love you?"  With gleeful, "fullness of life" squeals, they would take flight,  leaping through the air (just like Buzz), proclaiming proudly and joyfully, "to finity and byond!" (that was the 2-year-old). 

The couch and the kids. Couldn't find an action shot, sorry :)

The word infinity has many forms. Infinite, infinitely, finite... all defined by some means of endlessness, boundlessness, limitlessness, or without measure.   In other words, the love for our children was and still is so big and so great it never ends, it is without limits...."To Infinity and Beyond!" 

It isn't surprising that God (in all of His perfectness) uses the words of the Apostle Paul to reveal his great love for us.  As a young wife and mother then,  his words found a resounding place in my heart.   Words that would confidently carry me thru many miles and changing seasons.  Words that have profoundly marked my walk. 

And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.  Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.  Now glory be to God!  By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.   Ephesians 3:18-20

As I sit on "that couch" (one of the few remaining pieces of furniture in our home today, from that era),  I am keenly aware... despite life's fears and failures, despite any obstacles or unfulfilled dreams...
HE IS ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH INFINITELY MORE THAN I COULD EVER DARE TO ASK OR HOPE FOR! 

What are you daring to ask for?  What are you hoping for?  His mighty power is at work!  
Even when we don't fully understand it, we can be filled with the fullness of life that comes from it!  Walk with confidence in his "infinitely more". 

Crystal