
A Lesson in Abundance
All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.—Luke 21:4 (NIV)
“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”—JOHN 11:21 NIV
A middle-aged woman balanced her days between caring for her teenage children and her dying mother. For years,
she poured herself out for two generations of her family. In the end, her mother slipped away into the arms of Jesus, and the caregiver—exhausted and grief-stricken—slipped into despair.
“Where were You, God?” she cried out. “Why did You let my mother die? And how could You put me through so many trials at once? Didn’t You promise not to give me more than I could bear?”
Can you relate to this woman’s plight? Maybe you’ve been in situations where you felt abandoned by God. Perhaps, like Martha, you wondered where God was and why He didn’t appear “in time.” In Martha’s case, Jesus was there—working a greater plan that she couldn’t see.
The same is true for you. If you’ve been down in the valley, struggling beyond reason, God longs for you to know that He has not left you. He will never forsake you. Set your eyes on Him and watch Him trade your ashes for beauty.
Dear Lord, may I have the daily reminder that You are still right here beside me, walking with me…even through the hardest of times.

All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.—Luke 21:4 (NIV)

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.—James 1:17 (NIV)

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.—Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)