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There are many times in life that we become selfish with God. We need to
remember that God wishes to bless us with a great life and give us the
things that will make us happy, but too often we refuse to give God what
He asks of us fearing that we will lose and not gain. God will never take
anything away from us without first having planned to give us something
much more valuable in return. We know that God has all wealth and doesn't
need anything from us, but all He is looking for is the act of obedience
and once seen, God can freely give to us the things that He wishes for us
to have. (Luke 6:38) (Isaiah 1:19) (1 Corinthians 2:9)
I hope you'll be challenged by this great and simple story that shows in
illustration form how we should open our hands to the Lord in order for us
to receive from Him. I hope it also changes your thinking for the better
so that you can take hold of the blessings of the Lord. To God belongs
all the Glory for His continued leading with this Ministry.
IN THE HAND OF GOD
There is a beautiful story about a child playing with a vase his mother
had left on the table for a few moments. When the mother turned at the
sound of her son crying she saw that his hand was in the vase and was
apparently stuck. She tried to help him and pulled and pulled until the
child cried out in pain. But the hand was stuck fast. How would they get
it out? The father suggested breaking the vase but it was quite valuable
and the child's hand might be cut in the process. Yet he knew that if all
else failed there would be no other alternative.
So he said to the boy, "Now, let's make one more try. Open your hand and
stretch your fingers out straight, like I'm doing, and then pull!" "But
Dad," said the boy, "if I do that I'll lose my penny!"
The boy had had a coin in his hand all the time and was holding it
securely in his tight little fist. And he wasn't prepared to open his hand
and lose the penny. But once he opened his hand it came out of the vase easily.
What are you holding onto so tightly as to hinder your walk with Jesus?
That vase can be likened to the entrance to the Kingdom of God. It is
narrow yet quite easy to pass in, but first you must "open" your hand to
God and allow earthly things to fall. If we keep our fists closed and hold
fast to what we have and keep it for ourselves, we will be unable to take
hold of the "Hand of God"!
We arrived with nothing and will depart the same way.
Jesus told the parable of the rich man found in Luke 12:16-21 who wanted
to build bigger barns to store his grain and goods. But God said to him,
'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who
will get what you have prepared for yourself?' We need to be on guard, or
the things we own will begin to own us. It is our own clenched fist that
makes us a prisoner.
Open your hand to the hand of God and you will see great things take place.
Author Unknown
Read and meditate on these scriptures:
Proverbs 3:9-12 "Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the
firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with
plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. My son, despise not
the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of His correction: For whom
the LORD loveth He correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth."
Psalm 103:1-5 "Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless
His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who
redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness
and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy
youth is renewed like the eagle's."
Jeremiah 29:11-14 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith
the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will
hearken unto you. And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search
for Me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the LORD…"
1 Corinthians 2:9-11 "…Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them
that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the
Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man
knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even
so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God."
All scriptures can be found in the King James Version.
In Christ's Service,
Dwayne Savaya
Gods Work Ministry |
