I was looking at verses 7 & 8 of Chapter 1, which say "In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, (8) which he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight."
The two words that stood out to me are 'riches' and 'lavished'. Both words express not a limit but an abundance! One of the dictionary definitions of 'riches' is 'abundant' or 'plentiful', the dictionary definition of 'lavished' is 'to expend or give in great amounts and without limit'.
Both of these words in context refer to God's grace (grace being the freely given, unmerited favour of God towards undeserving sinners). I have lost count of the times when I approach God, in awareness of a particular sin or sins that I have committed, reminded of my need for grace, and hoping in some part that God will give me a small amount of grace, unworthy as I am. This is wrong and sinful thinking. The words riches and lavished as used here do not express that God is going to limit the amount of grace that he gives us, but that he gives grace to us in abundance!
Psalm 84:11 says "For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favour and honour. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly." He withholds no good thing! How incredible is that!
Also, Ephesians 1:3 says "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places..." Note he has blessed us with every spiritual blessing.
Praise God that he is a God who gives us abundant blessing, he doesn't withhold blessing from us, he delights to give it to us! And what greater blessing than the gift of His Son, Jesus, to give us the wonderful gift of salvation - dying in our place, for our sins, to take the punishment that we daily deserve to pay. What greater reason could there be to approach God with confidence than through Jesus' sacrifice? What a wonderful God we have, and what a wonderful God we serve!
