God Blesses

Read Luke 5: 4-7.

When God calls us to a task, he always has blessings prepared for those who follow. Sometimes, there may be struggles involved, but the peace and joy that come from being in God's will overshadow the problems. This happened in a tangible way when Jesus called Simon Peter to use his boat to back off from the crowds that were pressing in on Him. When he finished speaking from Peter's boat, He told the fisherman to let down his nets. Peter complained that he and his crew had been fishing all night and hadn't caught a thing, but because Jesus asked it, he would put down his nets. When he did so, he and the other boat with him hauled in so many fish that it almost sank their boats.

Something similar happened to me when I went to the Philippines as a missionary. I had no idea how much money I might need, so in case of an emergency, I set up a loan at my bank that would only transfer into my account if it were needed. Not only did I not need it, but my expenses in the Philippines turned out to be less than if I'd stayed home, and I went home to more in my bank account than I had when I'd left. But the real blessings came from my experiences in the island nation: teaching wonderful high school students of missionaries in a private Christian school, volunteering at a nearby orphanage, making new friends, seeing a different culture, experiencing new things, and viewing beautiful scenery.

So, when God calls you, don't hesitate to say yes. You won't regret it, and I imagine many of you can tell your own similar stories. Plus, God richly blesses us for no other reason than His deep love for us and that He is a God who likes to bless His children.

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