Bible
reading: 2 Kings 3:16,17
16 And
he said, Thus says Yahweh, Make this valley full of trenches. 17
For thus says Yahweh, You shall not see wind, neither shall
you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, and
you shall drink, both you and your cattle and your beasts.
The armies of the
three kings were in need of water: God was about to send it, and
in these words the prophet announced the coming blessing. Here we
see a case of human helplessness: not a drop of water could be
found. The sky did not give any sign of coming rain and in the
wells no more water was to be found.
In the same way the people of the Lord are sometimes really at
their end; they see the vanity of the creature, and learn
experimentally where their help is to be found.
Still the people were to make a preparation for the divine
blessing, and show they believed God on His word; they were to dig
the trenches in which the precious liquid would be held. If they
did not believe, and did not dug the trenches, they would have
nothing to receive the blessing in, and they would have missed out
on it.
The church must by her varied agencies, efforts, and prayers, make
herself ready to be blessed; she must make the pools, and the Lord
will fill them. This must be done in faith, in the full assurance
that the blessing is about to descend.
By-and-by there was a singular bestowal of the needed boon. Not as
in Elijah's case did the shower pour from the clouds, but in a
silent and mysterious manner the pools were filled. The Lord has
his own sovereign modes of action: he is not tied to manner and
time as we are, but He does as He pleases.
It is to us to thankfully receive from him, and we should not try
to dictate Him in what way He should bless us. Notice the
remarkable abundance of the supply -there was enough for the need
of all. And so it is in the gospel blessing.
All the needs of the congregation; of the entire church shall be
met by the divine power in answer to prayer; and above all this,
victory shall be speedily given to the armies of the Lord.
Now ask yourselves:
O Lord, make me
ready to receive the blessing which You art so willing to bestow
on me. |
