Test me in this and see if I, God, don't open up heaven itself to you and pour out blessings beyond your wildest dreams. ---Malachi 3:10
"God's ability to perform is far beyond our prayers---even our greatest prayers! I have recently been thinking of some of the requests I have made of Him so many times in my prayers. And what have I requested? I have asked for a cupful, while He owns the entire ocean! I have asked for one simple ray of light, while He holds the sun! My best asking falls incredibly short of my Father's ability to give, which is far beyond what we could ever ask."
---John Henry Jowett
Shalom DGrev, we must keep in mind while reading this chapter that God calls for the people to repent in order for Him to return to them. The specific sin that is singled out as requiring the people's repentance is the entire nation's failure to pay their MA'ASER and TERUMAH tithes to the Levites and Priests respectively, whose task is to minister in God's Temple and teach His Torah. The people's failure to pay these tithes is the cause of the curse that is causing agricultural and economic depression, whereas God promises that if they will pay them, "I shall pour you out a blessing until there will not be sufficient room to receive it" (v 11) until Israel will be a "land of delight" (v 12). Providing proper support for the nation's spiritual ministers and teachers is the very key to national prosperity.
ReplyDeleteShould we pray for our desires? Most certainly - however, we should be mindful that our desires should be His desires. For God will lead man in the path that each man chooses for himself. If a man chooses to walk a path of materialism, self-gratification, etc. - then God certainly will not stop the will of this person. As we are given free choice to choose between evil and good.