God's Blessings Aren't Always New

Leviticus 25:20-22 - ‘And if you say, “What shall we eat in the seventh year, since we shall not sow nor gather in our produce?”  Then I will command My blessing on you in the sixth year, and it will bring forth produce enough for three years.  And you shall sow in the eighth year, and eat old produce until the ninth year; until its produce comes in, you shall eat of the old harvest.

God gave Moses instructions to give the land they were going to a rest each 7^th year. They were not to sow or reap any of the fields or tend the grapes in any vineyard that year. It was to be a holy year of rest for the land. The sixth year would be so blessed by God that enough could be stored to keep them satisfied until the harvest of the eighth year was usable.

I admit this is a hard concept to internalize… for the world wants us to constantly buy into the newest model of car…the latest technology in phones… fill our homes with the newest gadgets to protect and make our lives easier and more fulfilled. The world tends to measure success and worth by the ‘things’ we own.

But this passage reminds that God doesn’t measure my worth that way.  He sees me as his child…and loves me so much he will provide for me...if I let him. He may not ask us to count years and order our work days by Sabbath years anymore….but he does bless us when we obey his commands and judgments.  He still provides what we need when we live within his will.

I admit that I still get excited when God blesses me with something new…but I am learning that some of my old things are just as good…if not better for the task God needs me to complete for him.  The fixed income of retirement ….around half what I used to live on….has provided more than I need for anything God has asked of me so far.

Father…thank you for the promise to provide for all my needs if I trust in you completely.  Forgive me for the times that I think I need ‘new’ things to make me happier or more content. Help me to trust in what you provide for me…and not sell out to the world’s idea of success and worth.  Instill in me a contentment in all that you have given me…and help me use all of it to glorify only you.  Amen.