God Bless Me

”Then Jacob made a vow, saying, ‘If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.” Genesis 28:20-22

If a person believed in ‘a’ God, it would make sense to want two things: To be blessed by that God, and then to be a blessing back to their God. But if they didn’t care to be blessed by their God, then what is the point of believing in a higher power. Their own power would be ‘plenty’ enough. Jacob was all alone and going to a foreign place. All he had was God - actually not all that bad. Jacob vowed that if God would be with him and bless him, he would give a tenth (tithe) of all he was blessed with. This is what a tithe is - the desire for God’s blessing. So Jacob asked for God…

TO BLESS HIM…

”Jacob, however, took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond and plane trees and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches. Then he placed the peeled branches in all the watering troughs, so that they would be directly in front of the flocks when they came to drink. When the flocks were in heat and came to drink, they mated in front of the branches. And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted.” Genesis 30:37-39

As far as we know, there are no physical reasons why branches in troughs would bear any effect on what flocks bear. Some things are just a mystery. But sometimes God is simply tickled by our faith and what we do as a result of that faith. I think God was pleased to see Jacob (who believed he’d be blessed) trying anything he could to receive God’s favor. And it worked - and not because of the branches, but because of God. When God is involved in any area of our lives we can escape the natural realm and ascend to a higher realm - that being of the Spirit.

…TO BE A BLESSING.

”In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.” Genesis 30:43

Because of Jacob’s vow to God that he would give a tithe, he became exceedingly prosperous. This excess was given because God knew Jacob would need more if he was to bless Him and others. When we sincerely seek God’s blessings and want to be a blessing to Him and His people, we can’t be stopped. He will see to it that our ‘cup runs over’. But if our motive is to bless ourselves, that changes things. He is the overflowing God, but for His kingdom (purpose). If God can get ‘it’ through ya, He will get ‘it’ to ya.

”Remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant, which He swore to your ancestors, as it is today.” Deuteronomy 8:18