Song of the Day
“The Blessing” by Elevation Worship & Kari Jobe
Scripture to reflect upon
(Please hover, or click onto, the Scriptures to read the specified text!)
- Num 6:24-26,
- Deut 28:1-14,
- Deut 31:8,
- Ps 121:8,
Devotional thought
“One cannot be out of relationship with God and receive the blessing of being in relationship with God, nor in relationship with God and miss out on that blessing. God himself, not the blessing or the curse as such, is sovereign.”
Alexander and Brian S. Rosner, electronic ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 400.
The first thing I want to say about “Blessing” is that we are only truly walking in blessing and favor when our relationship with God is right! This is a truth that must be embraced if we are seeking blessing for our life. We cannot expect to receive the favor of God over our life when we are living contrary to His ways/commands.
So, for example, for me to speak a blessing upon someone is going to be contingent upon their willingness to submit to the Lord and walk in His ways. As the quote states above, the blessing I speak is not sovereign – only God is sovereign and determines blessing and cursing. Yes, I want to speak blessing, but it is ultimately to the level the person receiving that blessing is willing to submit themselves to the sovereignty of God that they will experience the blessing I proclaim over them!
Blessing seems to be closely related to relationship in the Bible. Our relationship with God and others is almost always in view when a blessing is uttered. So, this should encourage us to speak words of favor and blessing to those we are in relationship with. To honor them, to speak kindly and for their good, to bless!
James 3 says that we cannot have blessing and cursing coming out of the same mouth any more than if we are trying to pour fresh water out of a container full of salt water! The Bible tells us to cover those relationships that aren’t so “blessed”, so to speak, with a heart of blessing. Why?
The reason I want to bless people is because I know that if they are walking in blessing from the Lord then that indicates that they have chosen to walk in His ways. And if they/we are walking in the ways of God then we know that we will be loving, kind, humble, forgiving, and so-on. So, being a person of blessing results in walking lives of blessing, which in turn returns relational blessing! That sounds like a great thing to me.
Choose today then to be a person of blessing.
- First, bless the Lord. Exalt Him above all else in your life and seek to bless Him.
- Second, bless the people around you. Seek their blessing, speak to them with favor, and call those things that are not as though they were (Rom 4:17)!
- Thirdly, bless the land. Pray for the land that you call home to be blessed by the hand of God! I have 2 Chron 7:14 in mind when I say this, because in that text God says that when His people humble themselves and pray, seek His face (which is to say seek His blessing), and turn from their wicked ways, He will hear from Heaven, forgive their sins, and HEAL THEIR LAND. And O’ how our land needs healing and blessing from the Lord today!
Prayer
Oh God of blessing. I praise You for the thousands and thousands of blessings you have poured out on me already! I am overwhelmed at Your love and favor upon my life. I ask that You help me to be a person of blessing to those around me and to You, Almighty God! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
