Anchor Devotional

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A Lesson from Paper Towels

“‘Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.’" Malachi 3:10

Carelessly, I poured water into a glass, and the overflow ran off onto the counter. Though there certainly are worse things I could (and have!) spilled, I chastised myself for it as I grabbed the paper towels.

Later while preparing a sermon, I recalled that spill. Malachi 3 speaks of the Lord opening the floodgates of heaven to pour out blessing on us. From 2 Corinthians 9 we read, “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that … at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. … You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God” (vv. 8, 11).

Both passages reminded me that rather than berating myself, I should have offered a prayer of thanks. After all, I had more water than I needed. Many are the times God’s abundance overflowed in my life. Look around you; He pours out His grace lavishly. You might even see it in your hard circumstances. And when you reach for the paper towels, thank God for the overflow.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS
2 Corinthians 9:6-11

INSIGHT
“Count your many blessings,/ name them one by one,/ and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.” (Johnson Oatman, Jr., 1897)

THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Jeremiah 7-8
Psalm 107
Romans 5-6

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