Who is blessed?

Last week I went on a mission trip with several youth from our church and three other adults to an Indian Reservation in Montana. I wrote this post on the way there....

"As we drove toward Lodge Grass, Montana, yesterday I received a message from a good friend, a missionary who has served the Lord many times in other countries, and whom I respect and love so much.  Her message said, "Praying for a safe trip and 'so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.' Malachi 3:10b"

Needing to see the whole verse, I pulled out my Bible and read these words:

Malachi 3:10 NIV
10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse,that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.
...and another version....
Malachi 3:10 ESV
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

In this passage, God is speaking to Israel thru Malachi.  He says to them "return to me and I will return to you."  I love the sound of those words...return to me and I will return to you.  God wants His children back and will welcome them with open arms.  They respond with the question, "How?"  In this dialogue between God and Israel, we learn that Israel has turned from following His statutes, not tithed, spoken harshly against God, and even said it is in vain to serve God.

God challenges His people...return to Me, follow my ways, fulfill your tithes, serve me, and see what happens!  When you do these things, He says He will "open the windows of heaven and pour down blessings until there is no more need...until there is not enough room to store it."  

Until there is no more need.  Until there is not enough room for it all.  Until you are so blessed you can't fathom it.  Grace.  Love.  Forgiveness. Blessing.  It's all there...waiting for you to return to Him.  Do we dare test Him?  "Put me to the test..."

He calls His people, His children, His beloved back - back to daily relationship with Him, back to living and serving Him...back to being blessed by Him beyond our need.

It's so easy to turn from Him....to slowly drift from His path, to turn away from serving.  By doing so, we deny His blessings by our behavior.  We walk away from all that He has to offer...all that He freely gives.

As we set out to serve Him this week, we already know that we will be blessed by the very people we go to serve.  Some of us have been there before..we know this community, we know many of the children, we know how much love they have to share and how much love they need....and we know that as we share His love with them, that we, too, will be blessed beyond measure."

And so we were....God is good.  Serve Him humbly, daily...by serving your brothers and sisters around you.  Love God, love others....