Genesis 26:2-3 – “The Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; stay in the land of which I shall tell you. ³ Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and to your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to your father Abraham.”

Genesis 26:12-14 – “Now Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. And the Lord blessed him, 13 and the man became rich, and continued to grow richer until he became very wealthy; 14 for he had possessions of flocks and herds and a great household so that the Philistines envied him.”

Here, we see Isaac in great obedience and faith.  There was Famine (trial, trouble, difficulty, lack, need, etc.). God said, “Do Not go down to Egypt (trust flesh, ability, possessions, others).  Stay Where You Are!” 

The Promise – “I will be with you and will Bless you and your descendants.   I Will Keep My Promises!”  In other words, Bloom Where You Are Planted through Obedience and Faith.  Isaac did just that, and God fulfilled His Promises.  Verse 12 – “Then Isaac sowed in that Land and received in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him.”

Wait just a minute!  He obeyed and received a hundredfold return.  Isn’t that a blessing?  But it says, and God blessed Him.  It was blessing upon blessing and in that Year!  It was not down the road someday in the sweet by and by, but in the now and now.

We can see things in the lives of the patriarchs that are missing in believers today.  What is that?  It is Expectation!  They believed that whatever God said, no matter how impossible it seemed, He would perform.  Therefore, obedience was a faith walk filled with sure hope and eager anticipation – Expectation!

To Bloom Where We Are Planted requires faith, hope, determination, trust, and expectation. In Hebrews 4:1-2, 6, we seem to miss a powerful truth.  Hebrews 4:2 – “For the gospel was preached to us as it was to them.”  It was the Gospel?  Yes, the Gospel has been proclaimed since the Garden of Eden- Passover for them, the animal skin covering for Adam and Eve, and the Cross for us.  They possessed as they walked in faith and obedience.

We can Bloom while resisting disobeying and trusting ourselves.  We need to surrender, believe, obey, and receive the promises.  God plants sometimes to enable us to learn obedience and trust.  Blooming comes from embracing His purposes rather than imposing our preferences.  I see the buds of the Bloom in you.  Embrace His purposes and watch the blooms come forth.

May you become the planting of the Lord and Bloom with His fullness!