God, I am sorry, but I am so preoccupied with Your blessing!
God blesses His children — the believers. The promises of the Old Testament are shouting about it: in the Book of Deuteronomy, in the Books of Prophets we can also read about it, etc. More than that, we are praying to God about blessings, and He, as a loving and almighty God, gives us everything in abundance. But what is sometimes going next, we shall regard from the example of Luke 14:16-24. God is calling His people (Luke 14:17) to come to the banquet. And we have three examples of how believers are finding excuses to refuse His invitation. Why did I say «believers»? As for unbelievers, God is firstly calling them to Jesus for repentance, as described in other parables. But this parable has to do with believers only. Refusal number 1 (verse 18). «I’ve bought a plot of land and I have to deal with it». Let’s regard why we ask God for land to use it in our personal needs. We either want to build a summer-house, or a cottage in an exotic place, or to plant a garden. Finally we get the answer — God gives us a plot of land. Halleluyah! And suddenly in the swing of planting a garden or picking the crops, we need to go for a week to another town for prayer or for preaching Gospel. I want to ask God: didn’t He know that the time wasn’t convenient for us? Couldn’t He put off preaching for another time? Or is He tempting us? Of course not! He is simply worried about another thing: that because of your summer-house or your garden somebody can go to hell. And if you can’t stand temptation, such us a house-garden-a plot of land, then you’d better cut it off (sell it)!
The second refusal (verse 19). Somebody has bought a car or instruments of Bosch company. He needs to test them, to enjoy this purchase. He needs to change the rubber for low-profile. To polish and clean his car. God, I urgently need to go through tech inspection of Your blessing (You did bless me with the car!). I am very sorry, but I don’t have time for You!
But the most difficult thing for believers is the third refusal (verse 20). I’ve got married! I saw many believers who asked God for a husband or a wife for many years. And God didn’t give the answer for long. But why? He knew that as soon as you got it, you would start repeating: «O God, I am sorry, but we are so busy with my wife taking care of each other, that we have no time for You! Sorry.. We have plans for the future, reconstruction of our flat, children, planning of vacation.. You did give me your blessing — it’s my husband, or my wife, — so I have to take care of him (or her)».
How actual this subject is — both today and in all times! That’s why to many of us God doesn’t give what we ask Him for. He has mercy on us. He knows that as soon as you get the requested, He will lose you for Himself. And He doesn’t give, for He has mercy on you. And you are shaking out of Him all blessings which belong to you in this or that question. But just think: maybe, you don’t need it at all? Or you will get it automatically, when all your priorities have already been formed? God gives you something only when you are ready to lose it for the sake of His Gospel. He knows our hearts and is very experienced in His communication with us, people. When we read the parables, we don’t have the least doubts that their author is God.
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