My mother is remembered for her many folksy expressions, sometimes offering creative new additions to the dictionary. One of these is in response to the question: ‘Would you like any more to eat?’ – to which she would respond: “No thanks. I’m sufficiently suffuncified.” (as yet unrecognized by the Oxford English Dictionary). Another friend’s mother would respond more delicately – “Oh, I’ve savored an elegant sufficiency.” While differently expressed, both ladies are recognizing the imprudence of accepting second helpings. They are both sated. They could consume no more without incurring distress to their digestion and accumulating girth to wherever girth is accumulated. They are both judicious: one with downhome simplicity, one with an air of restraint and refinement.
I mention this because, having spent time recently outlining the super-abundance we’ve received in our invitation to the Father’s heart (our Salvation), we, too, must recognize we are more than amply supplied with gifts and provisions and love and . . . In effect, we are filled to the brim, ‘stuffed to the gills,’ and certainly, à la Mary Beverley, sufficiently suffuncified. But, to what end? What do we do with everything that has been, and is being still, lavishly poured into us?
It seems clear in Scripture that we are, indeed, to do something with this embarrassment of riches now ours. Pity the Old Testament Prophet, Jeremiah, who said: “O Eternal, You deceived me into being your prophet, and I went along and allowed it to happen! Your strength is too much for me, and so You win; I speak your words. . . But when I tell myself, I’ll never mention Your name or speak for You again, it’s no use. The word of God burns in my heart; it is like fire in my bones. I try to hold it all in, but I cannot.” Jer. 20:7,9, VOICE. Forward to Jesus’ words in Acts 1:8, TPT: “ . . . I promise you this – the Holy Spirit will come upon you and you will be seized with power. And you will be my messengers . . .” Later, Paul, who, by his own admission, felt like the most insignificant of all the apostles, unworthy even to be called an apostle, but: “. . .God’s amazing grace has made me who I am! And His grace to me was not fruitless.” 1Cor. 15:9,10a, TPT.
The three examples above are revealing. Not only were they not looking for this calling, but they didn’t feel up to the job, didn’t want the pain and abuse that came with the job, didn’t feel qualified to accept the job. In each case, these two words – ‘But God!’ So, whether we feel like Jeremiah in his being overwhelmed and humiliated, or like the disciples, simply ill-prepared, ill-chosen, or like Paul, feeling self-disqualified based on his vile and violent past, as we engage in discipleship, we, too, sense the strong hand of God on us, gently but surely guiding us to the exercise of the abundant gifting we’ve received. Wanna be a disciple of Jesus? We’ll talk more tomorrow, 10 AM, 4 PM. PD
