Those That Bless

 

In these strange times in which we live, we need to be careful how we treat folk because you never know when the next person that you meet just might be your test case.

You might be wondering just what I mean by that. Well, I will tell you, but first, will you admit to me that we are living in strange times? I mean, have the things that are happening on such a massive scale worldwide caused you to pause and think about GOD more than ever or at least a little bit? And if you who had not previously been given to thinking about a HIGHER POWER at all, have found yourself feeling not so self-reliant and uttering or, at least, thinking a prayer of some sort, take note.  Maybe you have found yourself thinking, "If there is a GOD, and if YOU can hear me, will YOU help us down here? I mean, I haven't put much stock into thinking about YOU until now because I did not believe. So, as I said, if YOU are real and can hear me, please help us here. And if YOU are of a mind to, will you give me, an unbeliever, a sign that YOU are real and are listening?" Then you might have immediately felt foolish for thinking such a thought, but the fact remains that you did, right?"  When you get by yourself and all of the hoopla has died down, do you find yourself thinking about the prayer that you uttered and wondering if you will see an answer today or wondering what form the answer will be in and then vacillating back to unbelief? Uhm, hmm. Strange times, my friend, strange times.

And while you are amazed at the fact that I just seemed to pull some thoughts right out of your head, don't be. I can assure you that I cannot look into anybody's head and see what they are thinking, but I have a FATHER WHO can. If you are not a regular reader of my blog, you may not know that I read a passage of scripture each day and take a lesson from the said passage. What are the coincidences of my choosing the very topic that you had uttered a prayer about, hmm?

You might be thinking, "It was meant to be, probably." Just keep living a bit longer, and you will discover what this preacher's granddaughter, daughter of a preacher's daughter, and minister's wife has known for quite some time, "There are no such things as coincidences." So read this blog and think hard on it because it seems to have been tailor-made for you. Well! You prayed the prayer, didn't you? Uhm, hmm...that got your attention again, didn't it? (: ) That's okay; it has gotten us all at some point or another.

 

Now back to my point that I was about to make about three paragraphs above. As I was attempting to read my way around the metaphors and happenings from the Bible in the book of Ezekiel this morning, I came across several verses that gave me pause to just be still. Here are the passages of scripture:

Those That Bless Scriptures

Joshua 2

2 Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lodged there.  It was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” ³ And the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.”⁴ But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them, and she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. ⁵ It came about when it was time to shut the gate at dark, that the men went out; I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.” ⁶ But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof. ⁷ So the men pursued them on the road to the Jordan to the fords; and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut the gate.

⁸ Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof,⁹ and said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. ¹⁰ For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. ¹¹ When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. ¹² Now therefore, please swear to me by the Lord, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s household, and give me a pledge of truth,¹³ and spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, with all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.” ¹⁴ So the men said to her, “Our life for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the Lordgives us the land that we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.”

The Promise to Rahab

¹⁵ Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall. ¹⁶ She said to them, “Go to the hill country, so that the pursuers will not happen upon you, and hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way.” ¹⁷ The men said to her, “We shall be free from this oath to you which you have made us swear, ¹⁸ unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father’s household. ¹⁹ It shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be free; but anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. ²⁰ But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be free from the oath which you have made us swear.” ²¹ She said, “According to your words, so be it.” So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

²² They departed and came to the hill country, and remained there for three days until the pursuers returned. Now the pursuers had sought them all along the road, but had not found them. ²³ Then the two men returned and came down from the hill country and crossed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and they related to him all that had happened to them. ²⁴ They said to Joshua, “Surely the Lord has given all the land into our hands; moreover, all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before us.”

Hebrews 11:31

³¹By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she welcomed the spies in peace.

Matthew 10

⁴¹ He who receives a prophet in thename of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. ⁴² And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”

Vice-versa Scriptures 

New American Standard Bible, Ezekiel 35

 ¹Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

² Son of man, set thy face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it,

³ And say unto it, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate.

⁴ I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord.

⁵ Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end:

¹¹ Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord God, I will even do according to thine anger, and according to thine envy which thou hast used out of thy hatred against them; and I will make myself known among them, when I have judged thee.

Now, I did not have my mouth open, but my mind was somewhat agog. Here's why. I'd had a thought to come into my mind before I even began my reading and before I even began my habitual prayer before reading. Here is that thought: "Those that bless and those that blessed you will be blessed and vice versa."

I don't know where this thought came from and why it landed on my mind so strongly this morning, but it may have something to do with the crass lack of love that we see displayed on a daily basis. At any rate, that was my thought.

It's Hard

In this strange pandemic, pre-election time, me-first time, it is hard not to feel put upon by the next man. And thus, it is hard to not forget about our fellowman. But, I try to always remember that I am GOD's representative, and as such, must display brotherly love and brotherly kindness. And so, as I watch the news and just life, in general, these days, I think, "We have to be careful how we treat people because we may be 'Entertaining angels unawares.'" After all, we are in strange times, my friend.

So here's something to ponder on:

• if you steal, it might be from an angel


• if you lie, it might be on an angel or to an angel


• if you neglect to feed someone, it might be an angel


• and so on and so forth...

We never know when angels of GOD walk the land, and how would you like for your mistreatment of one to be brought up at the final judgment? I wouldn't want that, and I suspect neither would you. So, I persevere in the work of GOD and in the name of GOD. (On tomorrow's lesson {Sunday}, I will deal with what to do if you have committed a sin against your test case or an angel of GOD or GOD’s representative, so come on back for a reassuring and soul-soothing touch from the pen of a servant of the LORD GOD.)

And when people mistreat me, slight me, cheat me, lie on me, steal from me, hate me for no cause other than my zealous work for the LORD, I think about reaping what you sow. And from now on, since I know that I am a part of spiritual Israel, I will remember the verses quoted above, and I will rest a bit easier.

Be safe. (Part 2 of this post will be posted tomorrow.)

 

Walking by faith,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones