Nov. 28
DOING WHAT GOD CAN BLESS
"The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy
storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto" Deut. 28:8
If we obey the Lord our God He will bless that which He gives us.
Riches are no curse when blessed of the Lord. When men have more than
they require for their immediate need, and begin to lay up in
store-houses, the dry rot of covetousness or the blight of
hard-heartedness is apt to follow the accumulation; but with God's
blessing it is not so. Prudence arranges the saving, liberality
directs the spending, gratitude maintains consecration, and praise
sweetens enjoyment. It is a great mercy to have God's blessing in one's
iron safe, and on one's banking account.
What a favor is made ours by the last clause! "The Lord shall bless
thee in all that thou settest thine hand unto." We would not put our
hand to anything upon which we dare not ask God's blessing, neither
would we go about it without prayer and faith. But what a privilege to
be able to look for the Lord's help in every enterprise! Some talk of
a lucky man: the blessing of the Lord is better than luck. The
patronage of the great is nothing to the favor of God. Self-reliance
is all very well; but the Lord's blessing is infinitely more than all
the fruit of talent, genius, or tact.