By Pastor William Y. K. Brown Ph.D
(Resident Pastor)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Osu-Bethel.
Tel: 0244165628/0243310773.
wykbrown@gmail.com
WEDNESDAY
THEME: BLESSING WITH NO SORROW
SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 10:22
“The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.”
REFLECTIONS:
As we meditate on the relationship between God and humanity, it stands out that it is an incredible privilege to know God and serve Him. Two quick biblical texts come up – Jeremiah 29:11 and James 1:17. Of all humans, Christians have the most incredible privilege to ask freely based on their implicit trust in God for what they need, and they will have it.
Solomon in Proverbs 10:22 reminds us, “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.” Great reminder! Powerful recognition! Get it right that God’s unalterable and irrefutable intention for everyone is to bless us. He desires so because He created us to glorify Him (Isaiah 43:7). It is also embedded in the covenant of our salvation, which He has rolled out from the inception of sin. Our well-being gives God glory. Therefore, it is always important to know and appreciate the source of our life. To give recognition to whom it is due, Moses admonished in Deuteronomy 8:18 – “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”
God blesses and makes us wealthy and adds no sorrow. Unfortunately, our own attitude to how we apply the blessings causes us sorrow. It is also true that when God has blessed and prospered us, many people become envious and wish for our downfall. Thus, challenges of tests, trials, and hatred could come, but God will defend you. Job was fabulously wealthy. Satan sought his destruction, but God defended and exonerated him. Genesis 26:12-14 reveals, “[12]Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold, and the Lord blessed him. [13]The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; [14]for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him.” Remember the source of your wealth and seek counsel on the application of your wealth.
Because God will always give without adding sorrow, is it possible that sometimes our requests are delayed because God seeks to bless us at the right time when no sorrow will come with it? If we push God without learning to be patient and persevere, we may get what we insist we should have, but it will be to our detriment. Again, if we do not let God’s will be done at the appropriate time, we may miss many important lessons in life that could have made our journey to heaven simpler, more accessible, fulfilling, and meaningful. Daily, remember and acknowledge the source of your wealth and blessings, and your impact on life and society will be engraved on stones of gold.
MY SONG OF COMMITMENT
SDAH 29 – “Sing Praise to God”
LET US PRAY
– Praise and thank God for His unfailing plans for you; thank God for the blessings He has showered on you – money, health, shelter, work, influence, etc.;
– Pray for the rich in your community of faith; pray for Christians to let their wealth bring relief to the needy so God will be glorified;
– Pray for people who need funds urgently to undergo surgical operation; pray for philanthropists and humanitarian agencies; pray for family, friends, and acquaintances;
– Pray for the nation’s peace and prosperity, the spreading of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the health of the sick and the elderly.
