By Pastor William Y. K. Brown Ph.D
(Resident Pastor)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Osu-Bethel.
Tel: 0244165628/0243310773.
wykbrown@gmail.com
GEMS FOR MEDITATION AND PRAYER
THEME FOR THE WEEK: THE BEARING AND CARING GOD
SUNDAY
THEME: THE BLESSING AND REWARDING GOD
SCRIPTURE: Psalms 115:12
“The Lord has been mindful of us; He will bless us; He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron.”
REFLECTIONS
To know God is a journey filled with joy, fulfillment, and blessings. As we draw closer to Him, we begin to understand and appreciate His divine plans for humanity. Our faith is affirmed in Jeremiah 31:3, “The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.” The privilege of being drawn to God by His agape love is a source of great joy. No faithful Christian should ever feel unloved. Jeremiah 29:11 further assures us, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
The beauty of serving God is that He takes us from a position of lostness and estrangement to one of reconciliation, restoration, and favored blessing—a great privilege! God’s favor makes Psalms 115:11-14 realistic: “[11]You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield. [12]The Lord has been mindful of us; He will bless us; He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron. [13]He will bless those who fear the Lord, Both small and great. [14]May the Lord give you increase more and more, You and your children.” This is the prayer request for all who read the devotional for today and the days ahead. Divine care is what sustains us. But the more we avail ourselves, the greater our blessings.
What does it mean when the psalmist says: “He (the Lord) will bless us?” What are we to expect? What is entailed in the blessings of the Lord? For a fact, God’s blessings are not limited but encompass every aspect of our lives. They provide us with temporal and spiritual offers, privileges, honors, dignity, and favors that we cannot have on our own. These blessings bring joy, assure safety, and fulfill our hope for restoration. When God blesses, He provides for our needs, showers His love on us, and goodness follows us and makes us joyful recipients of His favor. Blessing is a divine offer of protection, health, well-being, success, and continuous divine connection. The blessings of God encompass spiritual, material, and financial well-being (Joel 2:23-28,32).
God will bless you with healing and health, employment opportunities, peace, success, victory, favor of God and man, enlarged territory, expanded and thriving business, your needs supplied, and the opportunity to soar higher and higher. Beloved, this week, as we consider the “Bearing and Caring God,” we will explore God’s nurturing and protective nature, which will guide us through life’s challenges. Therefore, endeavor to receive your blessings from Him. A little time in prayer, some minutes of reading His love letter, claiming His promises, and sharing your blessings with others will perpetuate your blessings from God. The God of heaven will bless you – open your heart and arms to receive it.
MY SONG OF COMMITMENT
SDAH 37 – “O Sing, My Soul, Your Maker’s Praise”
LET US PRAY
– Praise and thank God for the privilege of being a recipient of His blessings; thank God for bearing you and your family up; pray to ask God for a more profound commitment to His service;
– Pray for all who faithfully commit to God’s instructions, revere, and serve Him; pray for Christians to stand out as salt and light for our country;
– Pray for individuals and families, neighbors, colleagues, etc., who are struggling in life; pray for healing for the sick, comfort for the mourning, and revival among God’s people;
– Pray for the nation’s peace and development; pray for a responsible and wise citizenry and grace from God to prevent our youth from engaging in vices, spiritism, and inordinate drive for riches.
