B is for Blessings
– the invoking of God’s favor upon a person.
– praise; devotion; worship, especially Grace said before a meal
I
learned about the beatitudes from Matthew 5:2-11, when I was small. That was all I knew about blessed. I didn’t realize my parents were blessing
others or why. I watched my Dad help
people. I saw him change tires, fix broken
things and helping in a thousand ways. I
saw my Mom use her hands and give many pans of cinnamon rolls, feed unexpected
company, pick flowers from her garden to give away, make clothes for others,
visit the ‘old people’ when she was past eighty. I didn’t realize that she was blessing
others.
learned about the beatitudes from Matthew 5:2-11, when I was small. That was all I knew about blessed. I didn’t realize my parents were blessing
others or why. I watched my Dad help
people. I saw him change tires, fix broken
things and helping in a thousand ways. I
saw my Mom use her hands and give many pans of cinnamon rolls, feed unexpected
company, pick flowers from her garden to give away, make clothes for others,
visit the ‘old people’ when she was past eighty. I didn’t realize that she was blessing
others.
As I think about the art of blessing, I recall attending a wedding in Arkansas, as the Father of the Bride, blessed his daughter and his son-in-law to be. That was the first formal blessing I had witnessed. I thought about Isaac receiving a blessing from his Father Abraham. Then later Isaac blessed the wrong son, Jacob, because of trickery. Why was the ‘blessing’ so coveted that Jacob bought the blessing from his older son for a mess of pottage? Why isn’t this done now?
In this 21st Century, do we see blessings about us? Blessings are in the heart of the beholder. A Blessing is married to Gratitude. A Blessing is a gift. A Blessing is an understanding and hungering for righteousness. A blessing does not erase hardships, but makes them endurable. We can be Blessing-Challenged, that is, we are often unable to fathom that God or anyone else would bless us. It takes the Loving Father in Heaven to give us the wisdom and understanding to be aware of all His Blessings and those He encourages others to give. When did blessings first begin? Blessings began with God, himself, because He loves us.
Terms for the word, blessing, number over 600 in the Old Testament. The word blessing means to kneel (to receive the blessing). Three themes for blessings in the Old Testament are:
1) The greater blesses the lesser (the superiority of Melchizedek to Abraham). “But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior.” Hebrews 7:6-7
2) The blessing is a sign of special favor intended to result in prosperity and success. “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.” Deuteronomy 28:3-6
3) The blessing is actually an invocation for God’s blessing. “May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful.” Gen 28:3a
Recently, my cousin, Karen Penner, sent me an extraordinary book, On the Zwieback Trail” – A Russian Mennonite Alphabet of Stories, Recipes and Historic Events. (Weaver, Kauffman, Smucker) This is a bite-sized history of family legacy from 1500 to 2000. A blessing – for this book chronicles the struggle the people from Netherlands had to serve God and worship Him freely. The people, traveling from Holland to Prussia to Russia, to United States and Canada by land, by train and by ship, may not have always counted the hardships as Blessings. But as I sit here before a computer in this land and see pictures of their discomfort, danger and constant struggle for life itself – I count these people a blessing. For as I read, my concerns and minor setbacks shrink in comparison. Their spiritual blessing outnumbers their physical blessings by far. A spiritual legacy of enduring faith and truth and love given to our children and grandchildren brings strength for them. Clinging to the Rock of Truth, we sing its song, generation after generation.
Blessings are learning and growing in wisdom through life experiences; ability to give and serve others; spiritual protection and security; rest in the innermost part of our being; a promise of healing of our bodies and our souls; guidance in our lives and uncovering our purpose in life; the free will to make choices, fail or succeed; abundance of what our heart desires; being eternal beings in this world, destined for the new world; experiencing love and sorrow through relationships; patience in every situation which gives a peace. And last of all, work that gives us a sense of purpose, meaning and pride.
The language of blessing invokes a chorus of gratitude, first of all to our Lord God. There would be no need for gratitude if there were no blessings. We see all that God has created – the universe and the intricacies of the workings of creation He created for His Pleasure. When we exult in His Creation, we say, “Amen!” to our Lord. His pleasure is our blessing. When we express our praise and gratitude to Him, it is then that the soul-beams of joy shine in our lives…with the sweetness of peace, rest, understanding, patience, self-control, love, gentleness, kindness and the joy of living because God is Good and God is Love.
Whenever impatience, weariness and a critical thought comes to me, in that moment, I take another look at this time in life and search for the blessing. A breath of praise renews my spirit and encourages my soul. This cannot happen in a vacuum, it must be shared. In sharing we become the blessing and encouragement in someone else’s life. And God’s smiles are reflected in the moonlit sea, the flight of the bird, and smiling face of a flower. A strong chain of blessing and encouragement stretches across the world in recognition of the Grace of Jesus Christ. As another link is added, the words of the old hymn is heard. “Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly….”
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.” Ephesians 1:3-6
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