Above and Beyond

 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. - Ephesians 3:20-21

Since the time Jason started working at his current job, we have found it an endless struggle to keep up with our firewood. In years past, we had no trouble storing up enough firewood for our use, as well as taking loads to family and friends. Because of his current job and the crazy schedule it entails, simply keeping up has become a daunting task. For the past few years, we've had to burn green wood because we simply could not get far enough ahead to allow the wood time to season.

We were determined, however, that things would be different next winter. We made plans to work part of every available weekend to cut and stack firewood for the next season. The tricky part at that point was to determine where we could find the wood.  At least, we thought it was going to be tricky, but the Lord had other plans.

First, Jason's boss gave him the number of an acquaintance who was looking to get rid of some firewood that had already been cut into large rounds. We called the man and set up a time we could pick up the wood. We weren't expecting much, but were hopeful to at least get a full trailer load. When we arrived, we were thrilled to discover that the wood had been sitting for nearly two years, and there was far more than one trailer load there. On that one day alone, we came home with two trailer loads of seasoned oak. There is at least one more load waiting for us.

But God wasn't finished. The next day at church, a friend of ours told us that his sister had had some large trees in her yard cut down and was looking for someone to take the wood. Again, we made the contact and necessary arrangements to pick up the load of wood. Nothing could have prepared us for what we found when we arrived. There was not one or even two trailer loads of wood; there was at least five loads of wood. No, it wasn't currently seasoned, but it will be by next year.

Between the two sources of wood, we estimate there is more than enough to get us through all of next winter. But even then, the offers for free wood didn't stop. We have had two more offers of wood that is available to us if we can pick it up. It's gotten to the point that we've had to turn people away, telling them that we currently have more wood than we have time to get. And to think, just a few weeks ago we were wondering where we were going to find the wood that we needed. Isn't that just like God?

I don't know about you, but I'm so thankful to serve a God who doesn't just meet my need, but who goes above and beyond my greatest expectations. As Ephesians tells us, He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. And not only is He able, but He is also willing. He longs to bless us beyond our imaginings. Our God is such a generous God. How about we spend the day praising Him?