Today’s Reading: Deut. 32-34, Mark 15:26-47
Today’s Reflection: Deut. 33:23 And of Nephtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the LORD: possess thou the west and the south.
There are two points I wish to discuss. First, notice the full measure of the blessing that Naphtali had already received. The phrase “satisfied with favour” indicates a state of blessing he had already arrived at, hence the word satisfied.
Also, the phrase “full with the blessing of the LORD” further illustrates that he was already full. In other words, he had already received the fullness of God’s blessing and favor, and was presently living in that fullness.
Now, what intrigues me even more is what happens next, which is my second point; The Lord gave him further instruction requiring more action and more receiving on Naphtali’s end. I see here a man, or a tribe rather, that was “satisfied” but who was also not allowed to settle in the place of satisfaction.
This teaches us something we need to remember; God’s blessings and favor can be so good that we think we have all we could ever want or need from Him, just for Him to say, “possess thou the west and the south”, as if Naphtali hadn’t already received enough.
You see, the truth is, Naphtali was satisfied with favor, and full with the blessing of the Lord; but Naphtali wasn’t the only one seeking satisfaction in this picture.
We always make the mistake of seeking our own satisfaction, and forgetting that it really isn’t about our satisfaction at all! It is about God’s satisfaction!
It is human nature for us to settle for far less than what God is willing to settle for. Two and a half tribes of Israel, for example, settled for land on the wrong side of the river, whereas the Promised Land was on the other side!
Have you settled too soon? We sometimes have this beggar mentality where we assume the role of a hired servant while our Lord is preparing a feast of celebration for us, bringing out the fatted calf to celebrate our presence in His house.
We expect crumbs, while He provides us with steak, a gold ring, the best robe in the wardrobe, and the finest shoes that money can buy. I said all that to say this; God goes over the top to bless us, and it has absolutely nothing to do with our deserving it, and everything to do with His appetite to bless us!
Isaiah 53:11 says, “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”
The truth is, God wasn’t satisfied until He gave us HIS ALL!! So next time you think you can be satisfied with what God has blessed you with, ask Him if HE is satisfied!
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Floodgates of Heaven, Volume 2, Entry 77 of 365
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copyright © by Gary D. Caudill