Wide

There's a wideness in God's mercy like the wideness of the sea.

 How wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.

Eph 3:18 (NIV) 

God's love is much wider than we can comprehend.  It reaches everywhere.  Jesus has filled the entire universe with himself.  That encompasses everything in our lives; the good, the bad, and the ugly.  God can use anything and anyone to fulfill his plans and purposes. He is lord of it all. 

So many times we do not understand God's ways.  We tend to have a narrow perspective, often seeing things from a negative point of view.  We think, “God can't possibly use that person. Look how they live,” or “This circumstance seems so devastating.  How could God ever use it?”  The Jews did not recognize Jesus when he came because he did not fit their mold. (John 1:10,11 & Romans 10:3) Sometimes God comes to us in unexpected ways.  If our view is narrow and we think God only works in certain ways, we may miss what he has for us.  Receiving from God always involves surrender of our own ways so that we can open up to his.  It is not easy, but it is the way of growth. 

Every surrender brings more freedom and broadens and expands our reach.  Laying down our lives, surrendering our will to God’s, opens us up to a wider world. When we are stuck in our own ideas and agenda we are limited, but when we surrender our plans and ideas and ask only for God's will we are opened up to many more opportunities and possibilities.  Don’t let the surface scare you.  There could be much more in the depth.

His imagination is infinitely broader and wider than ours.  He can accomplish much more than we might ask or even think. This is the greatness of our God.  So, let’s let go of our puny agenda and open up to all he desires to accomplish in us.

Who ascended higher than all the heavens,

 so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.

Eph 4:10 (NLT)

 He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

Eph 3:20 (NLT)