“All (adjective): The whole amount, quantity, or extent of, every member or individual component of, the whole number or sum of, as much as possible. – Definitions of the word All found in Merriam-Webster dictionary

“All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.” – Julian of Norwich

During my elementary and middle school years of education, I attended a Lutheran parochial school in Marshfield, Wisconsin – a small town in the central part of the state where I grew up.  Those eight years were indeed some of the best years of my life – setting up a spiritual foundation for me that I have leaned on and relied upon my entire life.

Graduation from that school meant a process of confirmation – confirming your faith in the presence of family members and the entire church congregation.  I’ll never forget the preparation that my classmates and I undertook to get ready for this night of “Examination”.

We studied the Catechism, memorized the Articles of the Apostle’s Creed, the Petitions of the Lord’s Prayer and several key Scriptures – all in an effort to declare our faithfulness and readiness to participate in the Sacrament of Communion and become a full-fledged member of the Church.

The other night, I was reminiscing about this time in my life and fascinated that I could STILL recite the First Article of the Apostle’s Creed from memory – roughly 47 years later 😊

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

What does this mean? 

I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them. He also gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, animals, and all I have. He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life. He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil. All this He does only out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me. For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him.

This is most certainly true.

As I sat in my chair, fondly and proudly recalling what I had learned by rote, I caught myself hearing the word “all” over and over again.  What a beautiful word – especially when contemplating all who God is and all He represents to us in our lives!  It is filled with a sense of covering – a meaning that embodies a type of inclusivity that we often forget or take for granted.  All means everything, always, and forever – excluding nothing!

Take some time this week to think about “all” within the following contexts – stacking them up against the circumstances and situations you are facing right now.

All of Your Needs

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”  – Philippians 4:19 NIV

Do you have a need currently?  Do you realize that need is being met even as you read this?  You may not FEEL like it is being satisfied, but that need is in the process of being fulfilled without a doubt!

Why?  Because God promises to meet all your needs – not some of them or a few of them, but ALL of them.   Trust in an Omnipotent, Omniscient, Holy God who understands your needs in a way you cannot fathom.  He sees the entire picture of your life – the needs you have now and those needs that will surface tomorrow and in the future.

Meditate on this:  God is taking care of and satisfying ALL my needs continually.

All Things Work Together for Good

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” – Romans 8:28 NKJV

Within the evil, disastrous, and heartbreaking events of life, there is an unrelenting and unstoppable goodness that will come as a result.  Not periodically or on a few occasions or within just a few specific situations.  No…. ALL THINGS are working together for your good.

Think deeply about that.  The sickness, the accident, the tragic death, the unrecoverable loss – all are working together for your ultimate good.  Not some of them, but ALL of them.

Mediate on this:  All that happens to me is working in unison for my ultimate benefit.

All Things are Possible

“For all things are possible with God.” – Mark 10:27 BSB

Are you facing insurmountable odds?  Do things look bleak and impossible to change?  If they do my friend, stop thinking your personal situation is different from others or that your circumstances are beyond remedy.  With God, there are no limits or barriers.  Nothing is impossible, in fact; all things are possible 😊 That miracle you need right now can come out of nowhere and can surface at any time.

Meditate on this:  God can change anything at anytime or in any place.  All things are possible with Him.

Tonight, like me, I hope you are seeing and hearing the word “all” – that beautiful word that describes the entirety, the totality, and completeness of our God.

As you meditate on the things I have mentioned above, I pray you begin to realize that “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.” 😊

God bless!