We pray for blessings. We pray for God's presence. We pray for His will. But when He seems to ignore our pleas, what then?
Does God, our loving heavenly Father, deny His children such wonderful things when we ask? Why would He do that? Granting such petitions would make us more Christlike. Why would He make us constantly beg for them? Is God not home? Is His line busy?
Perhaps we should examine the vessel into which we expect Him to pour all these new blessings. Have we perchance already crammed it full of stuff? "Stuff" can include anything: entertainments, social attachments, possessions, property, wealth, power, spouse, children, religion.
Children and religion? What more important "stuff" is there than children and religion?
Let's examine our blessing receptacle more closely. It has a huge opening at the top, so God can pour into it great volumes of blessings. It has a massive body for containing God's blessings. And it has an outlet at the bottom.
"Why," you might ask, "would it have an outlet?" Once we cajole God into filling our cup with blessings, what would be the point of allowing them to pour out?
Let's examine the issue according to Newtonian physics: Two objects can't occupy the same space at the same time. So let's apply that physical law to the question at hand: We beg for more blessings, but we hoard what He's already given. Right! That makes complete ... non-sense. Would you have God exchange a bigger blessing container for the pint-size one you already have?
Oh, I fervently hope you saw that suggestion's fatal flaw. Ingratitude is another name for the sin of presumption, and that is exactly what we are doing when we demand of God more blessings than He's already poured out upon us.
So, if we're wrong in demanding more from God, why would he want us to pour out what we already have? Jesus gave us the following simple command in Matthew 10:7-9, "Freely ye have received, freely give." That explains the outlet in our blessings cup. God never intended for us to hoard our blessings as if they were our property. He never pours them into us, but through us, to fill others' cups, all the while allowing us to enjoy His freshest blessings.
If you want God's blessings—and who doesn't—empty yourself, bless others as God has blessed you. One Biblical principle you can take to the bank is, "We can't outgive God."
Does God, our loving heavenly Father, deny His children such wonderful things when we ask? Why would He do that? Granting such petitions would make us more Christlike. Why would He make us constantly beg for them? Is God not home? Is His line busy?
Perhaps we should examine the vessel into which we expect Him to pour all these new blessings. Have we perchance already crammed it full of stuff? "Stuff" can include anything: entertainments, social attachments, possessions, property, wealth, power, spouse, children, religion.
Children and religion? What more important "stuff" is there than children and religion?
Let's examine our blessing receptacle more closely. It has a huge opening at the top, so God can pour into it great volumes of blessings. It has a massive body for containing God's blessings. And it has an outlet at the bottom.
"Why," you might ask, "would it have an outlet?" Once we cajole God into filling our cup with blessings, what would be the point of allowing them to pour out?
Let's examine the issue according to Newtonian physics: Two objects can't occupy the same space at the same time. So let's apply that physical law to the question at hand: We beg for more blessings, but we hoard what He's already given. Right! That makes complete ... non-sense. Would you have God exchange a bigger blessing container for the pint-size one you already have?
Oh, I fervently hope you saw that suggestion's fatal flaw. Ingratitude is another name for the sin of presumption, and that is exactly what we are doing when we demand of God more blessings than He's already poured out upon us.
So, if we're wrong in demanding more from God, why would he want us to pour out what we already have? Jesus gave us the following simple command in Matthew 10:7-9, "Freely ye have received, freely give." That explains the outlet in our blessings cup. God never intended for us to hoard our blessings as if they were our property. He never pours them into us, but through us, to fill others' cups, all the while allowing us to enjoy His freshest blessings.
If you want God's blessings—and who doesn't—empty yourself, bless others as God has blessed you. One Biblical principle you can take to the bank is, "We can't outgive God."
1 comment:
You can't fill a cup that is already full- great stuff!
I'm reminded of the times in my life where I've failed to realize the ways in which God has already blessed me. Perhaps I asked for a blessing that had already been given, or failed to realize the blessings that already exist in my life that I take for granted.
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