My theme for this devotional is Count Your Blessings.
There is an old hymn that has the refrain:
Count your blessings, name them one by one.
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed.
When you are discouraged thinking all is lost.
Count your many blessings. Name them one by one.
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
Count your blessings. Name them one by one.
Count your many blessings. See what God has done.
Count your blessings. Name them one by one.
Count your many blessings see what God has done.
Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bare?
Count your many blessings. Every doubt will fly.
And you will be singing as the days go by.
Count your blessings. Name them one by one.
Count your blessings. See what God has done.
Count your blessings. Name them one by one.
Count your many blessings. See what God has done.
When you look at others with their lands and gold.
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold.
Count your many blessings. Money cannot buy,
Your reward in heaven nor your home on high.
Count your blessings. Name them one by one.
Count your blessings. See what God has done.
Count your blessings. Name them one by one.
Count your many blessings. See what God has done.
So amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged. God is over all.
Count your many blessings. Angels will attend.
Help and comfort give you till your journey’s end.
Count your blessings. Name them one by one.
Count your blessings. See what God has done.
Count your blessings. Name them one by one.
Count your many blessings. See what God has done.
It struck me that we so often look at the negatives and not the positive things in life. It was some time ago that I planned to pen this devotional. Sorry, Alex, it has taken so long.
We can be like the character Fraser in the comedy Dad’s Army, who, when faced with situations of strife says, “We’re doomed!” Yet, despite what they faced; the solution was always found.
The sad reality in life is that so often we look at the negativity, moaning about this, moaning about that, and how we will cope with the struggles we are all facing, and before we know it, we have slipped into despair, almost re-writing the words of the chorus of the hymn “Count your many blessings” to read as follows:
Count your problems. Name them one by one.
And it won’t surprise you what a mess you’re in.
Sure, we are in difficult days, and it may not be easy to make ends meet, but rather than look to the negatives, we need to lift our eyes and look to God.
Matthew 6: 25-34 (KJV):
Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
These verses speak for themselves, revealing the love of God, and as we trust Him, He will provide for us. There are so many passages in the Word of God that talk of His care and provision. So here are just a few.
The Lord provides manna and quail for the Israelites to eat (Exodus 16: 1-5 NLT)
Then the whole community of Israel set out from Elim and journeyed into the wilderness of Sin, between Elim and Mount Sinai. They arrived there on the fifteenth day of the second month, one month after leaving the land of Egypt. There, too, the whole community of Israel complained about Moses and Aaron. “If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt,” they moaned. “There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day they will gather food, and when they prepare it, there will be twice as much as usual.”
God provides for Elijah (1Kings 17: 2-6 NLT)
Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River. Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food.” So Elijah did as the Lord told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook.
So we could go on and on. What we can be assured of is that God will meet our need. But we also need to be good stewards of what we have.
A short testimony. When Hillary and I were in Bible college, sometimes we would have little or no food in the larder. But then we would find a food parcel left at our door. What we need to guard against is that our grumblings can stop the flow of the blessings of God. We must have faith to believe that God will supply.
No food for breakfast (Extract from George Müller—The Guardian of Bristol’s Orphans by Janet and Geoff Benge, from chapter 14 “God will supply” pages 166-168.)
“I hate to bother you, Mr. Müller,” began the matron, “but… the children are all ready for breakfast and there is not a thing in the house to eat. What shall I tell them?”
George stood up. “I’ll take care of it.”… [He] reached down and took [a little girl’s hand. “Come and see what God will do,” he said. Inside they found three hundred children standing in neat rows behind their chairs. Set on the table in front of each child were a plate, a mug… and spoon. But there was no food whatsoever to be seen …
“…where’s the food?” Abigail asked in a whisper.
“God will supply,” George told her quietly, before he turned to address the children. “There’s not much time. I don’t want any of you to be late for school, so let us pray,” he announced.
As the children bowed their heads, George simply prayed, “Dear God, we thank you for what you are going to give us to eat. Amen.”
George looked up and smiled at the children. “You may be seated,” he said. He had no idea at all where the food he had just prayed for would come from or how it would get to the orphanage. He just knew God would not fail the children. A thunderous din filled the room as three hundred chairs were scuffed across the wooden floor. Soon all three hundred children sat obediently in front of their empty plates.
No sooner had the noise in the dining room subsided than there was a knock at the door. George walked over and opened the door. In the doorway stood the baker, holding a huge tray of delicious-smelling bread.
“Mr. Müller,” began the baker, “I couldn’t sleep last night. I kept thinking that somehow you would need bread this morning and that I was supposed to get up and bake it for you. So I got up at two o’clock and made three batches for you. I hope you can use it.”
George smiled broadly. “God has blessed us through you this morning,” he said as he took the tray….
“There’s two more trays out in the cart,” said the baker. “I’ll fetch them.” Within minutes, the children were all eating freshly baked bread.
As they were enjoying it there was a second knock at the door. This time it was the milkman, who took off his hat and addressed George. “I’m needing a little help, if you could, sir. The wheel on my cart has been broken, right outside your establishment. I’ll have to lighten my load before I can fix it. There’s ten full cans of milk on it. Could you use them?” Then looking at the orphans sitting in neat rows, he added. “Free of charge, of course …”
So let us count our blessings, and seek first the kingdom of God, and trust Him to supply our needs, and always thank Him for His provision of faithfulness.