Here are some interesting thoughts from Psalm 81:10-16 (NLT).
"Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things. But no, my people wouldn’t listen. Israel did not want me around. So I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas. Oh, that my people would listen to me! Oh, that Israel would follow me, walking in my paths! How quickly I would then subdue their enemies! How soon my hands would be upon their foes! Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him; they would be doomed forever. But I would feed you with the finest wheat. I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock.”
Lessons:
1. God wants to fill us with good things (described as 'the finest wheat' and 'wild honey') BUT we have to open our mouth wide. We have to prepare and expect good from Him.
2. Do we take time to listen to God? If not, we give the message to Him that we don’t want Him around.
3. God responds to our disinterest by leaving us to our own desires and ideas. He never forces himself on us.
4. IF only we would listen to God and follow His paths, we would feel His support and favor tangibly on all we do. Progress would be made much more quickly. He will jump to our assistance.
God longs for us to walk each day in close relationship with Him, sharing our life journey with Him as a partnership. What a offer!
Gday Mark,
My own life experience especially in the last couple of years is testimony to this concept. I certainly do not claim to have arrived in fact the wider the mouth the more the learning and blessing. I usually find the intial blessing(s) is for others first and then I become blessed by being a blessing to them. It is a really amazing experience when you actually stop sometime in each day and intentionally listen to God. He is saying a lot and yes I often need to seek confirmation in his word, other full faith following Christian brothers, sisters and in creation. Not limited to these avenues and not always together or even in that order. My conclusion at this point is what was stopping me all that time up untilo about 2 years ago?? I was a Christian although admit to a period of backsliding. The one answer that comes back louder than the rest is that I was not fully trusting our Lord and saviour with my life. Really?? Thye all powerful, all knowing loving creator I could not trust my life with?? About 2 years ago at a time of unemployment, despair, estranged relationships, just hangin’ in there I turned to God and said you know what I do not seem to be doing a very good job of this I think I might listen and seek your will. It has been and continues to be a day to day journey full of all kinds of ups, downs, twists and turns. Everyday is exciting, full of adventure and absolute amazing blessings as I witness the hand of God at work in my life and the lives of others. Since making this what maybe I will call a full trust decision I now run my own business which incidentally is Gods and he lets me do it. It is not just a business to me it is a life passion which I get more and more poassionate ablout with each passing day. I also walk through each day with an incredible peace and security deep deep down that seems to be almost unshakable. I do still struggle with sin and weaknesses in my character just in case you might start to get the impression I was trying to portray some sort of perfection. An amazing observation I now have of my Christian brothers and sisters is this each one of us is either fully trusting God with our lives or not. Now there is a spectrum from what I see from completely not right up to completely. Not sure how that relates to whether you are fully saved or not?? It is amazing when engaging other Christians in below the surface stuff you start to see a picture forming of where they are on this trust scale. We are all on a journey and at the end of the day God loves his children and will bless then where they are at. I just think there are many living a mediocre life for Christ because hey it would be a good thing to do one day but for now I just need to feed the family and you know pay the bills. God knows my responsibilties just not yet Lord maybe when the kids are off my hands or the bills are not so big..Hey I am speaking from experience here but from experience all I can say is I still eperience all the ups and downs and that wonderful eperience of cash flow crises. Never again will I trust myself. That person has gone and I just open my mouth that little bit wider to the Lord!!
WOW Mark! Great testimony! Enjoyed the read 🙂 Thank you for sharing your heart…
It’s sure is an exciting journey walking with God… Full of awe inspiring wonder with
twists and turns. We can ALWAYS trust God in every season and in every area of our lives. The LORD ALWAYS knows what’s best for us. His undeserved love and amazing grace with His Holy Spirit guidance is sufficient to get us through this life. Continue moving forward with Jesus to the end… Hope in Jesus never disappoints! Bless you.
Thank you Mark for your excellent encouraging insights. Always appreciate reading your wise words. You are a wonderful blessing to many. May God continues to bless you!