Forced Blessing

When doing God’s work in God’s way, God’s people should expect, and when led, ask for what they need. Proverbs 13:22 says, “a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.” When our ways please the Lord, neighborhood associations, city councils, planning commissions, corporate sponsors, and various kinds of people with resources will suddenly favor God’s work through God’s people.

Going Deep // Focus: Exodus 11:1-3

Now the Lord had said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will let you go from here, and when he does, he will drive you out completely. Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold.” (Now the Lord had caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the people of Israel. And Moses was considered a very great man in the land of Egypt, respected by Pharaoh’s officials and the Egyptian people alike.)

When the Lord is preparing to do a work through us, and when our lives are submitted to his purposes, God will make even those outside his family favorable toward us.

In the case of Exodus 11, God caused the Egyptians, who by now were so sick of the Israelites they would have given the shirts off their back to get rid of them, to literally give them the shirts off their back—along with their gold and silver. After enduring what must have seemed like endless hours suffering under the plagues because of them, they Egyptians probably should have been unleashing violence upon the Israelites. Rather, they are unloading the wealth of Egypt on God’s people as they prepared to exit Goshen for the good land of Canaan.

Proverbs 16:7 offers the only reasonable explanation for this unusual phenomenon: “When a man’s ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.” By the way, that can happen today for God’s people. Neighborhood associations, city councils, planning commissions, corporate sponsors, and various kinds of people with resources will suddenly favor God’s work through God’s people.

When doing God’s work in God’s way, God’s people should expect, and when led, ask for what we need. Proverbs 13:22 says, “a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.” In Psalm 25:1, 4-7, 11-15, we find that King David operated from a similar perspective:

O Lord, I give my life to you… Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past. Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O Lord… For the honor of your name, O Lord, forgive my many, many sins. Who are those who fear the Lord? He will show them the path they should choose. They will live in prosperity, and their children will inherit the land. The Lord is a friend to those who fear him. He teaches them his covenant. My eyes are always on the Lord, for he rescues me from the traps of my enemies.

They will live in prosperity—ridiculous prosperity. What a promise! Wouldn’t it be great to be on the receiving end of blessings that God arranges for those who don’t even acknowledge him to force upon you? Forced blessing—when your ways please the Lord, keep you eye out for them.