Estimate

​My friend Brian shared an interesting vignette about a Romanian village. Thousands of fertile acres surround the town yet the people cultivate only small strips to grow what they can eat. Decades of communist oppression and the lack of modern farm equipment rob these wonderful people of vision. Their concept of what they can attain in the future is shaped by what they could not do in the past.  

​I wonder how many of us have a false estimate of what God can do in our lives. We look at sin that seems unbeatable. We think of hardships that occur when we’ve tried to follow God or the unfair treatment we’ve received at the hands of those who misrepresent His authority.   Our Father wants to bless us with abundant fruit but we only give Him a small strip on which to plant.  
 
Meditation
Matthew 25:24,25--Then the man who had received one talent also approached and said, “Master, I know you. You’re a difficult man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed.  So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you have what is yours.”
 
The man who hid his talent was probably not a bad guy.  He was most likely an ordinary person like you or me.  But somewhere along the way of life he got lost. He set his eyes on the perceived hardness of his master and let fear become his guiding plight.  Just as the villagers cannot see the possibility of plantations, he could not see the reality of succeeding in business. Consequently, he lost the blessing.
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Friend, Jesus said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you. I appointed you that you should go out and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you” (John 15:16).  God’s estimate of you is not based on what you can or cannot do but on what He has already done.  He chose you. He loves you.  He’s waiting for you to follow His lead.  Your capacity is to be carved in faith not in flesh.  The Apostle Paul wrote, “I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).  Paul based his estimate on what He could accomplish by the power of Christ!  Something to think about . . . in reveration.   
 
Inspiration
We estimate by what a man possesses; God’s only concern is what a man is.—Oswald Chambers in Notes On Isaiah
 
©1997 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)