Incredible Grace!

After viewing an episode in season 4 of the Chosen, I was moved by a tradition in Jewish families called a “dayenu”. After the Passover meal, the family would recite a song of praise to the Lord for being faithful in blessing them throughout their history.

For example, the father would proclaim,

“If He took us out of slavery in Egypt.” Then the family would respond, “It would have been enough.”

“If He miraculously parted the waters of the Red Sea,” Then “It would have been enough.”

They would continue with these praises always concluding with the statement, “It would have been enough.”

This concept is so rich with the steadfast grace and love of the Lord. It would have been enough just to receive one of those blessings, and yet our Heavenly Father chose to shower us with abundantly more than we could ask or think. And our hearts know only to overflow with praise and thanksgiving.

Around the same time, I was studying the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15. Interestingly enough, a New Testament Dayenu unfolded right in front of me! We are prodigals. We sin. We make demands. We walk away. We squander. We fail. We try to fix everything. We are desolate and broken. And then we come to our senses, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”

We come back…And before we can recite our speech, a long way off, our Father compassionately sees us and that would have been enough.

If he just ran towards us, THEN that would have been enough.

If he just kissed and embraced us, THEN that would have been enough.

We then muster up a few words amidst the overwhelming welcome, “Father, I have sinned…”

But our Heavenly Father doesn’t let us finish…

“Bring quickly the best robe and put it on him.” THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH.

“Put a ring on his hand” THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH.

“Put shoes on his feet.” THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH.

“And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate, for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”

AND…THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH.

Of all the love and grace our Lord Jesus pours onto us…When is it enough?

And yet we say…

It would be enough if we were married.

It would be enough if we had this job.

It would be enough if we were healthy.

It would be enough if we were prettier.

It would be enough if we had more friends.

But remember, our Heavenly Father sent His only Son to earth as a human baby eventually dying to pay the penalty for our sin. He then rose again, and said, “It is finished”. Salvation and eternal life become ours. That sacrifice alone would have been ABUNDANTLY ENOUGH, and yet His blessings continue and continue now and into eternity.

He wants us to know that HE ALONE IS ENOUGH!

II Corinthians 9:8 (ESV) 

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.