I've Had Enough.

I've had enough. Maybe you've had enough too. Before you imagine what I might mean by that, let me remind you of a few stories from the Bible.

Moses was out tending the flock one day when he saw something curious. Curiosity got the best of him, so he went to check it out. It turned out to be God, I Am. God had some plans for Moses that he relayed to him that day. Unfortunately, Moses was not a good speaker. He was timid, and he wasn't much of a leader.

Elijah, taking a break from the limelight, arrives at the house of Zarephath. At the gate, he sees Zarephath's widow and asks her for food and water. Unfortunately, She did not have enough. In fact, she was gathering up sticks for a fire to cook one last meal for herself and her son to eat and then die.

Jesus' mother was hosting a wedding party. Everything was going great. Everyone was having a good time. Unfortunately, they ran out of wine and only had some empty barrels lying around.

Jesus tells Peter that he will deny even knowing him three times before the rooster crows in the morning. Peter denies the denying. Unfortunately, Peter was standing in the courtyard denying Christ a third time when he locked eyes with Jesus, and Peter remembered. A rooster called in the background. He left and wept bitterly.

Could you imagine if that was the end of those stories? There are so many more I could bring up. What if Noah thought the Ark was too big of a project? What if David didn't think he was good enough at the slingshot? What if Joshua and crew didn't have the skills to play the trumpet at Jericho?

Rather anticlimactic, huh? Take a closer look, though. In each story, they already had what they needed to succeed. They already had enough.

God looks at Moses and asks, "What's that in your hand?"

"A Staff."

God says, "That's enough"

Then God taught Moses all sorts of signs to help him convince the Israelites and later Pharoah of his mission. If Moses had walked away, there would have been no exodus, no Passover, and possibly no future for the Israelites.

Elijah told the widow, "Do not be afraid. Go and do as you have said. But first, make me a small cake of bread from what you have and bring it to me. Afterward, make some for yourself and your son."

Further, Elijah told her, "this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be exhausted, and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD sends rain upon the face of the earth.' "

Turns out, she had enough too.

Jesus' mother asks Jesus for a favor...

She said to him, "They have no more wine."

"Woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My hour has not yet come."

His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

Turns out, she had enough too. A little faith and some supplies, and they were off. Rumor has it the wine was really, really good.

Peter failed. Jesus told him he would. If this moment defined him, his future would be dim. After all, he was just a fisherman. What did he know about theology?

Turns out, Peter had enough. He made it past this moment and preached one of the greatest sermons ever on the day of Pentecost. He continued from there as a minister, church planter, and author.

Have you had enough? I know I have. Countless times in my life, I've thought I didn't have enough, but God showed me otherwise. It's not what we have but who we know. It's not that what we have is what God needs. It's who we are that God needs. He uses what we have and what we are, regardless of their apparent value.

In the words of the great poet Carmen, "God don't want, some big ol' song and dance. He just wants your faith and trust in Him."

Friends, the truth is we have enough. We are enough. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. We don't have to achieve great things for God to use us. We achieve great things when we recognize that it's great things that God does through us. And what great things he can do. He is able to do so much more than all we ask or imagine.

...for this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Then you, being rooted and grounded in love, will have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to Him who is able to do so much more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3:14-21

I know I've had enough? Have you had enough? Chances are, you already have whatever you need to have enough.