DAILY BLESSINGS
Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.” She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.” But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing.
2 Kings 4:3-6 (NIV)
I love this story because it shows God loves to pour out blessings on His people. There are two dangerous approaches to the Kingdom. First is a prosperity gospel where we think God's chief purpose is to make us healthy, wealthy and wise. The disciples were following Jesus, and He led them straight into a storm. We must remember God is most interested in our inner spiritual life because that is what we take with us for eternity, while every earthly blessing gets left behind. A second dangerous way is to have a poverty gospel. Almost in an overcorrection to the prosperity gospel, people believe that it is spiritual to suffer or be poor. A biblical response is a provision gospel. God loves to provide for His children. Think about it: I love bringing gifts to my kids. If I thought the gifts were affecting them negatively, I would stop giving them. I also wouldn’t say to my kids, I only want you to love me, and so because of that, I will never give you a gift. The point is simple: a good father loves to provide for his kids. There are a lot of factors that determine the kind of gifts.
Mark the principle down and remember it: your heavenly Father loves to give good gifts. The story above shows it. This woman is at her end, and Elisha, the prophet, tells her to collect as many empty jars as she can find. She does, and then she starts to pour the oil. Did you notice when it ran out? When she ran out of jars. God kept pouring and pouring out His blessings! Why? Because He loves to provide for His children. I love what Charles Spurgeon says: If she borrowed few vessels, she would have but little oil; if she borrowed many vessels they should all be filled, and she should have much oil. She was herself to measure out what she should have; and I believe that you and I, in the matter of spiritual blessings from God, have more to do with the measurement of our mercies than we think. We make our blessings little, because our prayers are little.
Don’t be afraid to ask God for daily blessings. He loves to provide for His children.
APPLICATION: Today, take a promise God gave in the Bible and ask Him for it in your life!
PRAYER: Thank God for His blessings! Ask God to help you fall more in love with Him than His blessings, but ask for whatever specific thing you need from God. Thank Him for His provision.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?