He commands a blessing

The Lord commanded the people through Moses...
that when they entered the promised land, they were to plant and harvest crops each year for six years, but in the seventh year were to observe the Sabbath Year. For this would be a resting of the land. They were not allowed to sow or reap from the land during that year.
For many this was difficult to understand.

But the Lord promised them...
‘So you shall observe My statutes
and keep My judgments, and perform them;
and you will dwell in the land in safety.
Then the land will yield its fruit,
and you will eat your fill, and dwell there in safety.
Leviticus 25:18-19 (NKJV)

If they would trust Him, if they would be faithful...
the Lord promised to not only provide, but to bring more than enough for the year. They wouldn't just eat... but they would eat until they were full, and would be kept safe from famine.
But then God added...
‘And if you say,
“What shall we eat in the seventh year,
since we shall not sow nor gather in our produce?” 
Then I will command My blessing on you in the sixth year,
and it will bring forth produce enough for three years.

Can you imagine...
God commanding a blessing on you?
It's not just that He would think... Oh, yeah, I guess I'll send them a blessing.
No... He would COMMAND a blessing.
God is not messing around here. He is speaking of sending a divine command to the earth. Where the soil must bring forth crops in abundance... it must obey God in their favor, because they would have been obedient to Him in the Sabbath Year.

And yet, these people were still far from this promised land.
In fact, these people were still in the wilderness, walking, camping...
eating manna rather than planting crops,
following a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night.
They were on the move as God directed.
They were not settled and had no place to call their home.
But God began to speak of the home they would have...
and the land from which they would plant and harvest,
and the home in which they would dwell.
Yes, what God spoke was in the form of rules and decrees,
but still, it had to give them hope.

I know for me, it would have caused me to envision a home in which I could picture myself with my family... and that would make my journey seem to have a purpose. It would help me realize that I was walking to somewhere real.
Real land, real crops, real homes.

It seems to me that God needed to let them know the laws and decrees.
But He also knew they needed a vision of hope.

And today, He is the same good Father who promises to take care of us, and there are still rules to follow. Now we may not be planting and harvesting crops... but we are sowing seeds... and harvesting.
And as it was back then, the blessings will be far greater if we stay within His boundaries. If the seeds we sow are goodness, faithfulness, righteousness, and love toward others. If we are following His ways rather than the ways of this world.
In Fact, God's blessings may far exceed all we can imagine...
maybe even more than three fold, when we are truly faithful.

Word of God... train me, today...
to step forward in my faith, trusting You, Lord,
to be faithful, always to You, knowing a blessing will follow.

Lord, thank You
for always having my best in mind,
even when I don't understand.
Guide me with Your wisdom,
train me in Your ways,
ever on the narrow path.
Thank You for commanding
​a blessing over me,
and giving me a vision of hope.