Whirlpool Blessing
God’s blessings begin like a small eddy in a pool that continues to swell with our obedience, into an all encompassing whirlpool reaching to heights and expanding to distances that we never dreamed possible.
God always, first calls and blesses us. Then it is our privilege/responsibility to respond to His blessing, which in turn, He blesses even more. We see this throughout the Bible (and history) as He calls, blesses, expands, enlarges, and blesses even more according to the individual’s (or nation’s) obedience.
The danger in understanding this (at least for me) is that one must be very careful that service to God always be due to love for God, and in response to, His blessings, rather than so that He blesses. In other words, what’s our motive for service? What is our attitude in service?
Often, as I am praying, or in joyful thanksgiving to God for His blessing, the (Satan inspired) thought comes to mind, “Well, you knew He would bless you. Isn’t that why you did it?”
I know that at difficult times in my life (and even not so difficult times) I’ve rejoiced in knowing or finding out that someone was praying for me. There have been times that knowing that was the only thing that got me through the struggle.
So, I like to let people know that I am praying for them, but as I do, I begin to think, “You know that God blesses in return according to or in proportion to, your prayer for others. You only want to be “noticed” by them. That’s the only reason you’re doing this…” And it truly isn’t! But what keeps it from becoming true?
Why not just pray in silence? Why risk the temptation that might come from this? The risk is worth it because encouragement, by the very definition of the word, comes with the giving of strength or support, and so it is what I must do. And so it is what I, in practice, do.
And I pray, “God, protect my motives, protect my attitude. May all that I do be in pure obedience and adoration to You.”
To God be the Glory - Amen.
Betty Newman
God always, first calls and blesses us. Then it is our privilege/responsibility to respond to His blessing, which in turn, He blesses even more. We see this throughout the Bible (and history) as He calls, blesses, expands, enlarges, and blesses even more according to the individual’s (or nation’s) obedience.
The danger in understanding this (at least for me) is that one must be very careful that service to God always be due to love for God, and in response to, His blessings, rather than so that He blesses. In other words, what’s our motive for service? What is our attitude in service?
Often, as I am praying, or in joyful thanksgiving to God for His blessing, the (Satan inspired) thought comes to mind, “Well, you knew He would bless you. Isn’t that why you did it?”
I know that at difficult times in my life (and even not so difficult times) I’ve rejoiced in knowing or finding out that someone was praying for me. There have been times that knowing that was the only thing that got me through the struggle.
So, I like to let people know that I am praying for them, but as I do, I begin to think, “You know that God blesses in return according to or in proportion to, your prayer for others. You only want to be “noticed” by them. That’s the only reason you’re doing this…” And it truly isn’t! But what keeps it from becoming true?
Why not just pray in silence? Why risk the temptation that might come from this? The risk is worth it because encouragement, by the very definition of the word, comes with the giving of strength or support, and so it is what I must do. And so it is what I, in practice, do.
And I pray, “God, protect my motives, protect my attitude. May all that I do be in pure obedience and adoration to You.”
To God be the Glory - Amen.
Betty Newman
posted by Betty Newman at 6:11 AM
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