Seeking for blessing?
Do you want to have a blessed year? God is the source of all blessing. If we seek after God first before everything else we can be blessed. The Proverbs stated that “The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and He adds no trouble to it (Proverbs 10:22).” The blessing of God is good and perfect. He gives you inexpressible joy.
Worldly blessing can bring trouble and pain. It might harm us and is not perfect. I would like to define worldly blessing as happiness derived from worldly pride in life. Materialistic wealth, popularity, worldly success and knowledge are some of the pride people of this world admire. There is nothing wrong to possess these blessings. But there are people who ended with grief and pain for pursuing after these worldly blessing in life.
God can bless devoted Christians with great materialistic blessing. Solomon was the man richly blessed by God. God exalted him as king over Israel. God blessed him with great wisdom, discernment, insight, riches and honor. King Solomon became very famous. His fame spread to all the surrounding nations.
Why did God bless Solomon? The answer was found in his dedicated life to God. Solomon loved God passionately. He expressed his love to God by walking in His way (1 King 3:3). He was rich towards God. He sacrificed enormous offering to Him (1 King 3:4). At the beginning of his reign, he focused his life on the Kingdom of God and His people. He did not seek for his own pleasure but on how to govern His people wisely. God was pleased with him. God blessed him with more than what he asked for. Divine blessing was not for his self-indulgence but for him to manage His kingdom efficiently and to lead His people wisely.
King Solomon lived a kingdom principle at the beginning of his reign. This principle can be found in Matthew 6:33. The Bible teaches us that as long as we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, He will take care of our need. We did not need to strive hard to meet our need in life. The more we strive to achieve worldly pride in our own strength or human wisdom, the more we can become weary and frustrated. Without the blessing of God upon our hard toil in life, all our labor is in vain. Solomon did not seek after this worldly pride but this worldly pride followed him when he has the right priority in life.
The blessing of God is conditional. As long we strive to know Him, His righteous way and live in obedience of His truth, He will meet our needs. We will not lack of any good thing in life. We will be spared from unnecessary trouble. He will bless our work, family and life for His glory.
I do not mean that we can avoid trouble in this world if we live a devoted life to God. The truth is that we cannot avoid trouble because we are still living in this sinful world. Our Lord Jesus Christ warned His disciples about the trouble in this world (John 16:33). If we look around the world, we can see trouble everywhere. The endemic bird flu kills human lives. The aid patients increase. The threat of terrorism is felt everywhere. Wickedness seems to be increasing. There seems to be no peace in this world. People are troubled by what they hear or see.
Devoted Christians need not be troubled by bad news around them. Jesus Christ promises to give them His peace and love in whatever trouble they might face in this world. They do not need to be worried or disturbed by them because Christ has overcome them (John 6:33). Nothing happens to them in this world can separate them from His love for them (Romans 8:35,37-39). Therefore, they have power to overcome every trouble in this the world. Christ will strengthen them and see them through. What great blessing devoted Christians can enjoy from God in this world full of trouble!
At the beginning of this year, let us evaluate our lives. Are our lives blessed? Are we really happy with our lives? Is there any lack in our lives? If so, do we have wrong priority in our lives? Is our self more important than God and His business? If so, let us repent and do what He requires of us. Seek to know Him! Put His Kingdom first in our lives! Do what is righteous in His sight! Are we troubled with what is happening in this world? Let’s come to Christ in faith! Receive His peace and love! Rise up in faith! You can overcome every life situation through Christ who strengthens you.
Commitment Prayer
Father God, I have not been seeking after You and Your Kingdom first in the past. Please forgive me. This year, I ask of you to give me a devoted heart towards You. Change my priority in life. Give me a kingdom perspective in life. Let me put You and Your Kingdom first in my life. This day, I want to rise up in faith to receive your love and peace. Please come and strengthen me. Help me to overcome every trouble I am facing in my life.
In Christ’s name, amen.
Pastor Sarah
Category: cf_ps
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