A CHALLENGE TO ARISE 1

“And when these lepers came to the utter-most part of the camp, they went into one tent and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it. Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household. So they came and called unto the porter of the city, and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and behold, there was no man there, neither voice of men, but horses tied, and asses tied and the tents as they were. And they called the porters; and they told it to the king's house within…” 2 Kings 7:8-11 KJV

When God lends you a key into divine intervention, to salvation, joy, and His power, a key to his Word, there is a responsibility that He expects of you. When those lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp and discovered there was no man, they went into one tent, ate and drank and carried from it silver and gold and raiment and went and hid them. They again entered another tent and carried things from there also and went and hid them. They continued in the same cycle until God lent them wisdom. As God gave them this wisdom, may God also open your eyes so that you may know what could prevent your joy, provision, and breakthrough from turning into emptiness.

God wants to lend you the principle of continuous growth, prosperity, expansion, and joy that will never end. Imagine what they started doing when they stumbled on abundance: they ate and drank, collected silver, gold, and raiment and hid them. Does that describe the summary of your activities? They ate, they drank; they carried gold, silver and raiment never to bless anybody else with them but to hide them in the bush! Did they ever imagine when they were going to spend the things they were hiding? You could have some good things you have been hiding and waiting for the opportunity to use while there are people who have the need for them now. It could even be some wonderful messages or songs that could have blessed lives; yet, you are keeping them for a time you do not know.

Maybe you are waiting for an opportunity to glorify self. Where would these lepers go when everybody in the city would have died of hunger? Where will the joy be? Beauty is not in the eyes of the person who is dressed up but in the eyes of the beholder, those that are watching. Have you ever imagined the agony of having a very beautiful dress when nobody is there to admire it?

As long as you have no vision to share your life, you are just like a mere pendulum repeating yourself, doing the same thing over and over again. Without a vision for sharing and pouring out your life, you become a pendulum Christian. It does not matter your excitement, it will amount to nothing.

Culled from GLEANINGS..."A weekly Devotional" by Gbile Akanni