And More Will be Given...

Happy Wednesday, Everyone! Susie Larson here...

and to those visiting, I say welcome! I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way...

Each month I give away a $10.00 Starbucks gift card to someone who posts on my blog. So leave a post, share an insight, bless lots of people, and just maybe you'll win a jolt of java for you and a friend!

Now on to my topic...

Well, this morning as I prayed about today's blog post, the words, "And more will be given" kept running through my mind. And I think it's a great topic for today. 

May we give God our listening ear, our hopes and passions, our gifts and talents, and even our weak and feeble attempts to serve Him. God is the Divine Multiplier! He takes our puny little offering and He makes something of it. And, He deposits Heaven's resources into our lives because He is after a return on His investment in us.

Let's look at a couple of verses that speak to the 'more' that He wants to give to us:

Matthew 13:12

To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.

What's exciting to me is that God calls us to LISTEN, why? Because He has some things He wants to say to us! God wants to speak to us!  In fact, the Bible also says that God - the Creator of Heaven and Earth - confides in those who fear Him. He leans in and whispers profound secrets of wisdom and truth to those who honor and esteem His Name. Isn't that just amazing? But since that's true, may we remember that He is God and thus, be ever listening for that still, small voice.

How many times throughout the Bible do we read these words, "Listen!"? In the New Testament, God speaks out these words, "This is My Beloved Son. Listen to Him." 

To whom much is given, much is required. Since God has given us His Son that we might have access to His presence and promises, He expects that we will listen and respond to His direction and leading in our lives. And it's not because He is a micro manager. He is LOVE. He is GOOD. He knows BEST. And loves us MOST. He has our best interest at heart and is very protective of our lives and our dreams. He knows that we can't go this alone. 

For those who heed the gentle voice and who do what He says, more clarity will be given. More insight and inspiration will be entrusted to them. Imagine, God's voice becoming clearer to you; more distinctive; more profound. What a priceless gift He has offered us here.

But there's a downside to this promise. Those who get so busy with life that they miss what He says, will lose their sense of spiritual receptivity. Those who coddle their fears more than they cling to the promises of God, will not hear God's voice when He calls them to a more spacious and free place. Can you think of a more devastating loss than to lose the sense of God's voice in your ear? 

It matters if we listen or if we don't. 

Here is another verse to consider:

Matthew 25:29

To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.

Here again we are called to steward well what we've been given. If we take for granted the gifts of God, they will, in due time, slip through our fingertips. 

What have you been given? If you've received any encouragement from others, give some away. If you have food in your cupboards, give some away. If you've been offered a forgiveness you don't deserve (which, you have) offer forgiveness to someone who doesn't deserve it. 

And how about the gifts and talents God has given you? Whether you work in the ministry or in the corporate world, whether you're raising children or caring for your elderly parents; all of these are sacred when done with Jesus in mind. Bloom where you're planted. Use the gifts God has given you for His glory. Live with passion, conviction, courage, and compassion. Sow seeds of faith. Embrace hope. Walk in love.

Let everything you do, be done with Him in mind. And as you pour out your life to a world in need, more - much more - will be given to you.

~Until two weeks from now...

(PS - I'll be away from my computer next week so I won't be able to post. Bless you, bless you. :)

Comments

[Sarah]

Beautiful, Susie - when I write for teens, I always talk about the need to unplug from the world, and really plug into God - otherwise we can't hear that voice. But it's true for each and every one of us. He doesn't hand us some filled out road map and then watches what we do with it, we instead have to get each turn, every direction day by day...and that requires listening:-)

[Kathy]

I depend on the divine multiplication of my little loaves and fishes offerings. I get to the end of so many things and I see what I left out, where I went wrong, how it could have been better...and then I offer it up to the Lord trusting that He was transforming it for His glory. When I am weak, He is strong. :)

A powerful word for my everyday living. May the Lord refresh you while you are away from your computer. <3

[Kathleen Martin]

Hi Susie, your blog was so wonderful, so full of wisdom, so amazing! I need to print it for future reference. You clearly have much wisdom. It would be wonderful if you put your blogs, 365 of them, into a daily devotional. You should really think about it. They are really filled with God's wisdom and knowledge that it is a shame to only read once and move along. If you put them into a book people could underline, mark, and re-read them year after year like I do with my Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon. God bless you sister!

[Alisha]

yes yes yes. amen amen amen. :)

[Laura]

This was exactly what my heart needed to hear tonite. Thank you again....you are such a blessing!