Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

A Daily Devotional by Kenton Cheek

22 February 2024

Reading From Leviticus 26-27

“If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees their fruit. Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land.”

–Leviticus 26:3-5

     Following God leads to abundance in every way.  He promises provision and protection to His children as they live according to His Word.  We cannot expect God to bless our marriages if we choose not to follow the guidelines laid out in the Bible regarding holy matrimony.  We cannot expect Him to bless our finances if we have no desire to put the practical advice of Scripture regarding money into practice. 

     Where does grace come into play with all this?  God is ready and waiting to forgive us when we make mistakes.  If we come to Him in faith and turn away from our wrongdoing, He is faithful and fair.  He will forgive and give us the strength we need to continue pursuing the kind of life He wants us to have.  The abundant blessings of the Lord that come from obeying Him look different in each person’s life.  Somewhere in the third world there is a family praying for financial provision.  For them, a new goat or chicken is a tremendous windfall, an answer to prayer.  For an individual trying to make it in the inner city anywhere in America, perhaps provision means money for this month’s rent.   

     For some, His protection might mean rescue from a terrible car accident, or keeping a young girl safe on her way to school in a rough neighborhood, preserving the life of a soldier fighting in a brutal war, or taking a suffering cancer patient home to Heaven, thus healing him completely.  One remarkable thing about God’s protection of His children, is that no earthly force can harm their souls, only their bodies.  Once someone’s soul is connected to the eternal family of God through the unity of the Holy Spirit, they are permanently protected, provided for and guaranteed eventual healing in their heavenly home.

     Whatever we need, wherever we are at, God is able, more than able to meet us there and take care of us.  He is a good Father who wants to bless His children in every way.  Yes, our spiritual health is paramount, and salvation is the greatest miracle God provides, but He doesn’t simple save us and leave us to fend for ourselves.  What sort of parent would do that?  God wants us to have eternal, abundant life.  He is there for us.  As He blesses us, His intention is for us to share those blessings with other and thus glorify Him.

“Lord, I pray that You would give me the strength I need to obey You.  Help me to resist temptation.  When I sin against You, may I be quick to see and admit my fault and come to You for forgiveness and restoration.  As You bless me along the way, I pray that I would be generous in sharing those blessings with others in need.  Pour Your love into my heart.  Fill me to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit that I might share Your treasures, both spiritual and temporal with others and bring honor to Your Name.  Amen.”

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

III John 2