Unused Ground

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Good morning, Lord

Father in Heaven, I seek You first-Your peace-Your knowledge and discernment. Build my trust. I take up my cross and follow...In Jesus' name...

Verse of the Day: Isaiah 7:14

14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Memory verse: Psalm 139:23–24 (ESV)

23  Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24  And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Today's reading:   Hosea 9-11 Revelation 3

Unused Ground

Hosea 10:12 "If you sow righteousness for yourselves, you will reap according to grace. Break up unused ground for yourselves, because it is time to seek Adonai, till he comes and rains down righteousness upon you."

I remember the first time I took my oldest Christmas shopping to buy something for his mother. His first thought was to pick a gift he liked. Of course, I had to tell him that although he liked the gift very much-something that brought him joy-that Mom might not get the same joy out of it.

I never thought of it from his side-just the adult side. His thought was that if he enjoyed it so much, he wanted Mom to feel that same joy and excitement. Think about this for a minute. The motive that a child gives with might be more pure than that with which an adult gives?

By giving to you what you do not need, and what the child likes so much, could they be saying that seeing your joy is their joy-indeed, their hope? They give in hope of seeing you share their feelings of joy.

When I read Hosea 10:12 this morning, say "...break up unused ground because it is time to seek God...", I knew the message for us.

It is time for us to see giving from God's side. God does not need anything from us(Acts 17:25)God does not need...He has it all. Our praise to God magnifies His joy. God gives out of mercy, grace and love-He gives to us that we may share in His joy. He gives to us that we may learn His joy in giving to the object of His great love-us.

God wants us to feel what He feels. After all, He created us in His image. We are His chosen children and He wants us to know His peace and joy and the excitement of His eternal life as much as we can in our human form.

Give for the joy of the recipient. Gifts are tradition and nice and all that but doing all you can to fill your loved ones with joy-this is God's way of giving.

Break up unused ground...ask God to show you how to grow into His king of giver.

...because He loves us...

Father In Heaven,

You are the giver of all good and perfect gifts. I want to be a kingdom giver. Give me bread that I can share and the wisdom to give Your way. Forgive me my selfishness. Lead me away from greed.

Giver of all good things,

In the name of Christ Jesus my Lord,

Amen