Good morning,

Our devotion for today comes from Psalm 37:3-5 (CEV) "Trust the Lord and live right! The land will be yours, and you will be safe. Do what the Lord wants, and He will give you your heart's desire. Let the Lord lead you and trust him to help." 

Wherever you are today, meditate on this; clogged gutters are one of those troublesome homeowner problems.  Falling leaves seem to find them a handy resting place.  Eventually they pile up so high that there is no place for rainwater to go but over the top of the gutter.  The blocked pipe then no longer fulfills its purpose of directing rainwater from the roof to a designated spot on the ground. 

There is a parallel here to our Christian life.  When we receive new life in Christ, we are to be a channel for the Holy Spirit's work of blessing in the lives of other people.  We are to act as a conduit that God uses to generously pour out His love.  However, we tend to get stopped up. 

Consider our financial resources.  God's plan is that we are to share what we have received, first with Him through our local church, and then sacrificially with people in need around us.  But we look at our bills and our plans, and we want to have a reserve of funds to pay for those projects.  So, we attempt to accomplish both God's plan and our own: We give a little to His work and to other people, and alot to meet our own desires.  When we view money as our possession to spend as we choose, we have become a clogged channel.

The Scriptures are clear that all of our resources come from God and belong to Him.  He calls on us to give sacrificially according to His plan.  Won't you take a step of faith by surrendering your plans and resources to Him?  Then experience God's delight as you become a free flowing channel of giving. 

Have a blessed free flowing day!

Your brother in Christ,

J. H. Flakes, III