Enough

I just received an email forward, the kind of thing I usually skim and delete. This time, it told a story of a woman saying good-bye to her daughter for the last time, and wishing her 'enough.' I found it substantial enough to reproduce here, edited a bit for structure and theology's sake.

I Wish You Enough
That you may have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain you.
I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

It put me in mind of the prayer of Agur, contained in Proverbs 30:7-9:

Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches,but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

It's a good prayer, one I have often prayed myself (so don't expect to hear of me winning Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes!), and one that seems, at least in part, to be summed up in the word, 'enough.'

Jesus stated this same idea in Matthew 6:11, "Give us today our daily bread." Just enough for today. It is the lesson of the manna. Fully enough, never more. The idea is reiterated in verse 34, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.".

Jeremy Camp has expanded on this theme in his worship song, Enough.

Refrain:
All of you is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with your love
And all I have in you is more than enough

You are my supply, my breath of life
Still more awesome than I know
You are my reward,worth living for
Still more awesome than I know

REFRAIN

You are my supply, my breath of life
Still more awesome than I know
You're my coming King, you're my everything
Still more awesome than I know

REFRAIN

Bridge:
More than all I want, more than all I need
You are more than enough for me
More than all I know, more than all I can say
You are more than enough

REFRAIN

Maybe what I long for in life isn't 'more;' maybe it's just... 'enough.'
-J

(c) 2007