The Bible Edge
Everyone needs an Edge, Believers can have a Bible Edge
Matthew 23:37
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
A story was related to me about a very wealthy man who was in dire straits. His business was failing, his family was in disarray, his life was miserable. This man knew enough to bow a knee in prayer. As this businessman related the story to the man who told it to me, when he prayed, a very real sense of God’s presence was there and he realized something for the first time. The man’s problem was not God’s inability to bless, it was him living his life in such a way as to prohibit the full blessings of God. This man learned something of eternal value: God’s blessings are available to all on an equal basis, all one has to do to put themselves in a position to receive God’s blessings is satisfy the conditions of God’s Word.
In our verse today, the Bible tells us that Jesus desired to bless Jerusalem very much. Notice, He first states the problem: those in this great city continually rejected the men of God that were sent to them. Then Jesus asked, …how often would I have gathered thy children together… This is a rhetorical question, much like your mom asking, “How many times have I told you?” There is really no concrete answer for the times have been many.
The Lord wanted to protect and provide for Jerusalem, just as a mother hen protects and provides for her chicks. But notice the last phrase: …and ye would not! The problem with Jerusalem was not God’s lack of desire to bless them, it was the unwillingness of the people to put themselves in a position to be blessed.
This is very much what the businessman mentioned above learned. The number one hindrance to God’s blessings in your life is you. A Bible edge that will help you daily: Control yourself; put yourself in the position to receive the blessings of God and watch them roll your way.
William T. Howe, Ph.D.
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