BUILDING YOUR STORE HOUSE BY DR WILSON LIM
Raising his tanned hands to his brows to shield from the hot afternoon sun, he
looked across the rolling hills of fertile land. Another harvest time is near and the fields of ripening barley and wheat weighed heavily on their stalks. “It is going to be another bountiful crop this year”, he mused. Turning around he gazed thoughtfully at the fifteen large mud-brick silos, each as big as a grand house. He had supervised the construction of these granaries in this city for the last six years and each year they had to keep adding new ones. This year another three is being constructed to contain the ever-expanding amount of grain. Joseph knew there would be 7 years of abundance, but little did he realise how abundant it was going to be. In fact, his huge team of granary supervisors had trouble keeping track in many cities as the granaries were overflowing.
Gen 41:47 - 49 (NIV) 47During the seven years of abundance the land produced plentifully. 48Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. 49Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.
The storage of 7 years of harvest abundance meant Egypt was ready when the severe famine came for the next 7 years. So much was in the reserve that Egypt could sell its grain to other countries and grew in wealth.
The wise are those who build up their storehouses in times of plenty. I have discovered in my own life that there is much wisdom in doing so. How should we build our storehouses?
Store up when there is opportunity
Joseph had been forewarned by God and he wisely stored up while the opportunity lasted. Many are foolish and squander what opportunities that lay before them. Just as time and tide waits for no man, opportunity will not wait for us. God may bless us but if we are foolish, the blessings will pass.
Perhaps there are opportunities of finance when we receive a good income. We should be wise not to spend it all but to save or invest it wisely for a rainy day. Perhaps there are opportunities of time which presents itself. Rather than wasting it on trivial pursuits and frivolous activities, we should use it wisely. Perhaps to educate or improve ourselves. Reading good books, doing good works, serving the Lord and so forth. For time and tide waits for no man. An hour wasted is an hour lost forever. Some have wondered at how I was able to learn so much and accomplish much in my life. It is through the careful use of the time God has given me. For it is my desire to be fruitful in my life and to be able to give an account of my life unto God.
Store up judiciously
Not only should we store in our storehouse but we ought to store selectively. For we cannot store all manner of things. So it is crucial for us to discern what we ought to store. I have chosen to store knowledge and wisdom in my storehouse. By choosing to read extensively and deeply in key areas that I have identified to be useful for my life and ministry, it has helped me greatly. Lai Ling and I have amassed a library of well over a thousand books.
We have stored up experience in order that we may gain insight from our experiences and any experiences that we could glean from others. We all have choices with our experiences. To simply consider it as things that had happened. To simply allow our experiences to push us into a certain mould. Or experience may be seen as a teacher from whom we can gather much from which we can mould our own lives.
When we have stored abundantly and judiciously in our storehouses, we are able to draw upon it when needed. Particularly in difficult times, it can provide a ready supply of knowledge and insight, of finances or relationship support.
Dr Wilson Lim
HIM ELDER
