March 8
OUR SUBSTANCE BLESSED
"Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store" Deut. 28:5
Obedience brings a blessing on all the provisions which our
industry earns for us. That which comes in and goes out at once, like
fruit in the basket which is for immediate use, shall be blest; and
that which is laid by with us for a longer season shall equally
receive a blessing. Perhaps ours is a handbasket portion. We have a
little for breakfast, and a scanty bite for dinner in a basket when we
go out to do our work in the morning. This is well, for the blessing
of God is promised to the basket. If we live from hand to mouth,
getting each day's supply in the day, we are as well off as Israel;
for when the Lord entertained His favored people He only gave them a
day's manna at a time. What more did they need? What more do we need?
But if we have a store, how much we need the Lord to bless it! For
there is the care of getting, the care of keeping, the care of
managing, the care of using; and, unless the Lord bless it, these
cares will eat into our hearts, till our goods become our gods, and
our cares prove cankers.
O Lord, bless our substance. Enable us to use it for thy glory.
Help us to keep worldly things in their proper places, and never may
our savings endanger the saving of our souls.