Title
Reaping the Blessings
Scripture
Isaac served in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundred fold; and the Lord blessed him.
(Genesis 26:12)
Devotional
The blessings of the Lord are not by lottery. God does not bless by chance. He blesses obedience. He blesses faith that works. Isaac was the heir of Abraham; nevertheless he had to sow his inheritance before God would bless it. God blesses work. Goodness, honesty, righteousness and faith, if stagnant, will not receive God’s blessings. These are but seeds. Unless they are planted and nurtured, they will remain potential blessings. God gave Isaac the land, but it was up to Isaac to reap the blessings from it. God likewise has given gifts to you and I, but it is up to us to cultivate those gifts in order to receive the blessings of them. What gifts has God given you? What are your potentials? Lay hold of them and claim them aloud, and put those gifts to work. Like Isaac, you may reap a hundred-fold in the same year. What you reap must be used if you want to receive the blessings of the Lord.
Text For The Day
Genesis 26:12: Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him.
Thought For The Day
“Right relationships are the soil in which the reward of righteousness can grow. And the only people who can sow these seeds, and who will reap the reward, are those whose life work it has been to produce such right relationships.” William Barclay, The Letter from James, Marriage Partnership
Questions To Ponder
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When we look at the events that led to Isaac’s being blessed by the Lord, they were not noble, as we understand nobility; he had just lied. Nevertheless God blessed his sowing, why?
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How did God use Abimelech to bless Isaac?
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Has God blessed you? Have you sown His blessings? How?
Morning Study Guide
Definition: Sowing is the primary element of the law of sowing and reaping. Those who reap without sowing, reap a harvest of diminishing returns. Those who reap with godly sowing, reap a harvest of everlasting returns.
Reference: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart,” Galatians 6:7-9
Application: Purposefully endeavor to “sow” kindness to someone today—do so expecting to reap a blessing for them and from them.