OUR DAILY BREAD : GRAIN ON THE MOUNTAINTOP

[cimi]

July 14
Monday


GRAIN ON THE
MOUNTAINTOP

READ:
Psalm 72:12-20
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There will be an
abundance of grain in
the earth, on the top of
the mountains.
__Psalm 72:16
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I've been on a number of mountaintops in the US in my time, and I can tell you that not much grows up there. The summits of mountains are bare rock and lichen. That's not where you would normally find an abundance of grain.

But Solomon, who wrote Psalm 72, asked God for "an abundance of grain ...on the top of the mountains," to characterize his reign as king. If grain on the mountain is so unusual, what is Solomon suggesting? That God's power can produce results in even the most unpromising soil?

Perhaps you think of yourself as a little person, with very little to bring to the kingdom. Take courage: God can produce an abundant harvest through you. This is one of the ironies of faith: God uses the insignificant to accomplish the great. Not many of us are wise or noble; most of us are anonymous and far from extraordinary. Yet all of us can be used. And contrary to what we might think, it is because of our weakness that we can be used by God (1 Cor. 1:27-29; 2 Cor. 12:10).

It's possible to be too big or proud for God to use, but we can never be too little, "out of weakness" we are "made strong" (Heb. 11:34). By God's great power, we can do all that He has called us to do. __David Roper

````````````````````Lord, You work through such common things__```````````````````````
```````````````````````those of us with flaws and weaknesses.``````````````````````````
``````````````````We are in awe of Your power and humbled by Your`````````````````````
`````````````````choice of us. Our hearts long to be faithful to You.`````````````````````
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To experience God's power,
we must first admit that we are weak.

***********************************Today's Bible Reading __ Psalm 72:12-20*************************

12 For He will deliver the
needy when he cries, the
poor also, and him who has
no helper. 15 He will spare
the poor and needy, and
will save the souls of the
needy. 14 He will redeem
their life from oppression
and violence; and precious
shall be their blood in His
sight.

15 And He shall live; and
the gold of Sheba will be
given to Him; prayer also
will be made for Him
continually, and daily He
shall be praised.

16 There will be an
abundance of grain in the
earth, on the top of the
mountains; its fruit shall
wave like Lebanon; and
those of the city shall
flourish like grass of the
earth.

17 His name shall endure
forever; His name shall
continue as long as the sun.
And men shall be blessed in
Him; all nations shall call
Him blessed.

18 Blessed be the LORD
God, the God of Israel, who
only does wondrous things!

19 And blessed be His
glorious name forever! And
let the whole earth be filled
with his glory. Amen and
Amen.

20 The prayers of David
the son of Jesse are ended.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Solomon and wisdom are virtually synonymous. As great as Solomon
was and as much as he did for Israel through this kingship_
economic prosperity, peace, arts, and culture__he still fell short of
what God can do. In today's psalm Solomon, the man who built
golden temples and palaces, reflects on the power of God to save
souls and to bring growth to barren places (7:2-13,16). God is the
only one who truly does wondrous things (v.18).