At the end of that wonderful prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 are given those remarkable words, which are a revelation, surpassing almost any other in the Epistles, of the abundant fulness there is in God-"Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end [unto all the generations of the age of the ages]. Amen."

These words are not, like so many of those we read, of no importance to us; they intimately concern every believer in Christ. It is a statement of the resources of our God, of what He has ready for us on demand, of what we are invited to draw on Him for. Is it not glorious while we are in the midst of so much poverty, distress, and want, to have such words to comfort and sustain our faith? Have you asked for great things? He is able to give them. Have you been thinking of what you would like to have God do for you? What does His Word say? Our asking and our thinking do not limit Him. We are not to limit Him as Israel did (Ps. 78:41), by unbelief, but have Him before us as He reveals Himself in Scripture.

Scripture is a revelation of God, of what He is to His people, what He can do for them, and we need to realize that our God is not limited at all in His resources and ability to meet every need. Our thinking has much to do with our lives for good and ill, and one way to give profitable employment to our thoughts is to be thinking what we would like to have Him do for us. Then we can turn our thoughts into prayers, to One who is "able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think."

But even this is only a small part of the resources at the believer's command. Our needs are only a drop in the ocean of need, and one of the most blessed parts of our life-service is that we can think of and ask for the needs of others. How often are the words spoken or written, "Pray for me; pray for us; pray for this person; pray for this work." God can reach them in every place; He can minister "exceeding abundantly" to every need, and what opportunities we have to minister to others and by taking thought for them!

If Paul needed and craved the prayers of God's saints, if Christ spent so much time in prayer, is it not of the greatest importance in God's ways of blessing? Whom and how many are you helping in your thoughts and prayers? It may be a new idea that we are to think of blessing for others, but we must think of the needs of ourselves and others before we ask, and God puts the two together. We may lie awake at night, worrying; how much better by far to be spending wakeful hours thinking of God's power and love, and asking from Him. That cures worry, cures every evil that besets. We can carry all the time before our minds the vision of His love, His goodness, His resources.

God has given His people such a treasury of promises to draw from as they are led. His promises are like a bank, from which we can draw for all our need, be it ever so great or small. We never trouble Him by asking for things too small. "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered." Is not that a most revealing statement, letting us know how minute His care is? Christ's assurance to men whom He was sending forth as sheep in the midst of wolves (Matt. 10:16, 30,) was not limited to them, for Luke assures us that it was said of all who are of Christ's friends (Luke 12:4, 6, 7).

How many assurances Christ gave of God's bountiful love! He desired that all should know how great the love of God is; that it does not lead Him to pass lightly over man's sin, as so many teach, but it led Him to give Christ, to send His Son into the world to bear the sin He hates, to save men from it. There are prayers that He does not answer-prayers for what would only harm and lead souls further from Him. Then there are prayers answered in wrath and sorrow, when unbelief seeks and will have that which brings ruin.

God is able to do "exceeding abundantly" in executing judgment upon despisers of His mercy and grace. Witness the Jews who rejected His mercy of old, and also in rejecting Christ. Myriads are treasuring up wrath for themselves by refusing God's mercy, determining to have their own way and do their own will in spite of God's Word. Here men are being offered God's mercy. If they will not have mercy, they are choosing judgment. There is no middle path. Even pagan idolaters are inexcusable, because God has revealed enough to every person to save them, if they will only follow His light (Rom. 1:18-20). Peter gives another side of this in Acts 10:34,35.

The great lesson for those having faith is that God's supplies are without limit. You never get to the bottom of God's meal-barrels and oil-flasks. You can never exhaust His resources. After you have used all you can, there is just as much left for you. Inexhaustible is written upon all of God's treasuries. The prayers and thoughts of .faith cannot lower the supply. Every believer needs to keep this before the mind and heart. There are difficulties, dangers, and straits innumerable; the work of faith is to let God meet them for us. In this way we are taught what He can do for His people. We are being trained for the great future. God looks on to it; we can see but the dimmest outline of it until Christ comes.

We gain much by keeping His sufficiency before us, by looking up instead of within or around. If storms of trial come, it is because they are best for us. If there bright skies and pleasant paths, that is because they are best. He always gives the best things for His people."He careth for you."So there is to be no worry, no corroding care."Our sufficiency is of God." J. W. Newton