God's Grace is always a surprise

  

1 Samuel 1; Psalms 13–14; Jeremiah 39; Romans 1

While I cannot share the details, God has blessed me beyond all expectations concerning a small business that He has given me. These past few days a threat came to my sales. I prayed, at first anxious and then yielded the whole thing to the Lord. I had no control over it or the outcome. Last night, the resolution came. It was above and beyond anything I’d imagined and I am rejoicing. It is not a coincidence that today’s readings are about God answering prayer with unexpected blessings!

First the story of childless Hannah. In her culture, having no children was a disgrace because it was considered being out of favor with God. Hannah was taunted and even though her husband loved her, he didn’t seem to fully understand her heartache. Then this woman prayed:

And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” (1 Samuel 1:11)

Soon her prayer was answered. She named him Samuel and when he was weaned, she fulfilled her vow and dedicated him to the Lord. As I read her vow, I thought of my business issue and how God has guided me in all of it, now offering another opportunity. Obviously, He also expects me to dedicate this venture to Him, that He might do with it as He wills. He remembered Hannah’s prayers and blessed her — and she turned that blessing back to Him. I must do the same.

David’s psalm also reveals a struggle but with a different issue. His enemies were trying to kill him, or at least render him ineffective. In my spiritual life, I often feel the threats of spiritual enemies such as the lies of Satan and the things he does to thwart me, particularly to stop me from praying. Yet the more flaming arrows he shoots at me, the more I realize the character and plan of God, and of course the more I pray. David’s prayer reflects how I feel today concerning the emotions of that recent threat against my work.

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD because he has dealt bountifully with me. (Psalm 13:3–6)

Jeremiah the prophet also prayed much and God rescued him from physical danger. Now, in a time just before the people of God were exiled to Babylon, Jeremiah was arrested, thrown in a cistern, then rescued by a foreigner name Ebed-melech. This man respected Jeremiah and God rewarded him:

The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the guard: “Go, and say to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will fulfill my words against this city for harm and not for good, and they shall be accomplished before you on that day. But I will deliver you on that day, declares the Lord, and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. For I will surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but you shall have your life as a prize of war, because you have put your trust in me, declares the Lord.’” (Jeremiah 39:15–18)

Again, I relate in a small way. Did Jeremiah pray that God would defend his protector? Did this Ethiopian expect anything from God? The Scriptures do not say, but the New Testament says that God will bless those who bless His people, much like the words He said to Abraham in Genesis 12. God does not ignore righteousness; He rewards it.

APPLY: So much to think about and to be thankful for, but also to pray — for the people of God and myself — to live righteously, to enjoy the blessings of God, not expecting them and yet being surprised. He wants me to be confident that I can and should live for Him, dedicate my work to Him, bless Him and rejoice in His bountiful care. And be as grateful as He is when someone does a kindness to me by blessing them in whatever way I can.