Nothing – or Everything?

God lives and works today. He is a God of love who yearns for our love. And when we take time out to give Him our love, He makes our lives richer and happier than we could ever imagine.

Today's meditation by Basilea Schlink tells what happened to a married couple who took a risk to spend time with the Lord. How much is God worth to us? What have we given for His sake? Actually nothing or everything. We know a married couple who loved their business.

They were so successful that they could soon open up a branch. Their income increased more and more. But this couple became spiritually unsettled.

The more successful they became, the less time they had for God. One day at a retreat, they heard the loving call of Jesus. Jesus is waiting for you.

That means Jesus wants you to spend more time with Him in prayer. The couple suddenly realized that if they wanted to have more time with the Lord, they'd have to give up their branch. Should they take this financial risk? They both struggled in prayer until they finally reached the point where they could say yes.

For Jesus' sake, they wanted to risk it. After several weeks, they received a letter that was simply overflowing with thanksgiving and joy. Words are not enough to describe how much joy and spiritual wealth they had received since they had given up their branch.

Their marriage had become much more happy. But even more, they had received a new love for God. And now there was a fire in their hearts to do whatever they could for the kingdom of God.

Suddenly, they saw the magazines that they sold in their shop with different eyes. There were so many indecent pictures and stories in them that they made the decision not to sell any more magazines. This step meant taking an even greater risk.

Now, humanly speaking, they could no longer reckon with the fact that they would earn enough. In addition, this step caused great commotion in the whole village. Not long ago, another letter arrived from this couple.

They wrote us, We have been without magazines now for several weeks, and we can only say that these weeks have been the most beautiful ones of our life. To replace all the people who no longer come or who are annoyed, the Father sends us other customers. Now they buy so many other things which have been lying around for months unwanted.

My husband and I often look at each other in amazement. We are both so happy that we took this step. Although our turnover is less, we were suddenly surprised to receive an income tax refund so we could pay all our bills and we haven't lacked anything.

But most of all, we have more time for Jesus, and that has made our lives truly rich. At home, at work, you could have similar experiences. God doesn't let us give him anything without repaying us abundantly.

Will you dare to give him everything? You'll never regret it. And rejoice of your unending love, your planning, leading, counsel, loving Father, loving Father, Father of everlasting love, eternal love. You have been listening to a program written by Basilea Schlink of the Little Land of Canaan.

To learn more about how God lives and works today, visit us at our website, www.canaan.org. That's K-A-N-A-A-N dot org. If you contact us, we would be happy to send you a free inspirational booklet. If you do not have access to the web, please contact this radio station for our postal address.

God bless you.