Flowing Blessings

On this penultimate day of the year’s end, this Old Year’s Eve day, we are led right into the verse of the carol which was mentioned earlier. Here again, are the words of the verse.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make His blessings flow,

Far as the curse is found.

What are some of the things which you and I have taken away from Advent? Though they may be many and varied, I am bold in confidence to present three things which we will have all taken away. These are Words, Works and Ways of our Heavenly Father, which have been given to us and which have swaddled us with His Circle of Warmth.

Advent Words – Do not be afraid. Always remember that these words were given to, Zechariah, the Shepherds and Mary, at some point in their Advent experience. These are words which we too have received, once again, during the Season of the Celebration of our Lord’s First Coming. That being the case, then the words, No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground, become victory words of faith, as we first do something about them, personally.

When Elisha parted the intimidating, ferocious waters of the Jordan it was for him to cross over, not those who were looking on from a distance, suggesting all kinds of things to him. In like manner, we too are facing the sins and sorrows of this world, which have come to drown us in self-pity, dejection, apathy, remorse and many other drowning waters before us. Many are the voices that are telling us one thing or another, which only water these weeds, making them flourish and grow bigger and healthier in us.

Threats of sins, with all their guilt, keep coming before us, accusing us, and bombarding our minds. We have been told that the devil is the accuser. Zechariah 3: 1 states. Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. But we have the Advent Words of our Lord, whereby we are not to be afraid of the accuser even. We carry the power within us, to cancel our accuser, walking through every lie of his, to do as our Master did.

We must remember what we carry in our spiritual hands, and use it to strike sins, sorrows and thorns before us, so that they will depart and leave us free to walk on the good, dry ground of God’s grace, to be what He will have us be and do. Then we will be able to spread the Advent truth of a Saviour, whose power is with us, all who will believe and receive truth.

Advent has reminded us that neither the accuser nor his people are beyond the power words of Messiah Jesus, our Risen Lord and Master, whose power has been given to us through His Holy Spirit. No accusations levied against us, no guilt trips flung at us and no thorns, the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth, will infest our hearts to choke the Word in us, making it unfruitful. Unless, by faith, we are free from the threats of sins and sorrows, because we have accepted all that Christ Jesus has already done for us, and given to us, how can we genuinely and honestly tell others about Him? How can we show them in our lives, that we live as enemies of fear and pull fear apart each time it raises its evil head before us? We have all we need to part the waters of fear before us.  

Advent Works – I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. These words were given to the shepherds, who were outside in the open fields, watching their flocks by night. Have we not taken away this Advent work of our Lord? If indeed we have, then we will confess and testify to the fact that, He comes to make His blessings flow. To all who have received our Lord’s works, they are nothing but triumphant works. Let’s look at what can easily be taken for granted. Shepherds in the field that night surely could do with some Good News. The News was miracle News, the works of God’s making. They received news that was personal to them first and foremost. I bring you good news. Right in this bringing or delivery of Good News, has not God come in flesh, to make His blessings flow? To bring Good News, whatever the Good News is, is to bring ever flowing blessing and not cursing.

Once again, my mind is gently guided and directed to an exquisitely homely, yet definitely awakening scene. It’s a scene of uncompromising faith and trust in a household, where the Lord’s blessing is flowing. Previously only the cursing of sin was flowing in that home, but the Works of God are unsurpassed. We are viewing the scene in the home of the widow and her two sons. A few moments ago, it was a scene of fear, dread and utter helplessness. This house was under the curse of sin, as the creditor was coming to take away her two children, to work as slaves. She cried out to Prophet Elisha for help and he does just that. He speaks power words to her and tells her what she has to do. In unquestioned faith and trust, she does exactly what he tells her to do. Elisha said, Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side. She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. When all the jars were full, she said to her son, Bring me another one. But he replied, There is not a jar left. Then the oil stopped flowing. 2 Kings 4: 3 – 6.

The picture we are looking at is that of the woman with flowing oil, which is able to fill up the numerous empty jars which were collected and brought to her house. Aren’t you provided with one image, one picture of God’s ever flowing blessings? He comes to make His blessings flow. Jesus, Saviour of the world, has not just come with blessings, healing from dejection, helplessness, despair and utter terror, but He has come to make them flow unceasingly. They will only stop, when we have no more needs and cares and troubles. When God came, Incarnate, in Jesus, this work of love, in coming to earth in frail human clay, was a blessing to shepherds, and all people.

God still continues to work out His blessings in us, and what is even more victorious, is that His blessings flow. What does this say to us?

Having received take-away blessings on Advent Words and Advent Works, tomorrow, we head to God’s Advent Way.