6-20-2015

Good Morning All!!

             Genesis 12:2b; “and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.”

     “Boy, we certainly have been blessed.”  I hear that comment made often.  I always wonder if the people who say it are trying to impress a member of the clergy or if they feel they need to say something “religious” so this is what they say.  Is this a clergy approved version of “have a nice day”?  I hear it often, “we are very blessed” and I truly pray that we mean it.  It is important to recognize that God sustains us and blesses us every day.  Yet do we really understand the implication of being blessed by God?

    A blessing is a special favor, mercy, or benefit, bestowed by God that results in our happiness.  We recognize that God has done something for us that others do not seem to have.  We recognize that we have more than others and that our life is easier, perhaps significantly easier, than other people’s lives.  So we see it and we understand that God has truly blessed us in this life and that is great.  It is important that we recognize that God has truly blessed us.  It is important that we thank God for the blessings that he bestows in us in this life.  Yet we shouldn’t stop there because we have farther to go.

     God blesses those whom he blesses to be a blessing to others.  We are not blessed because we are better.  We do not sin less than others.  We are not more perfect.  We have not earned God’s favor or blessings.  We are not superior to others.  We are blessed by God in order that we might be a blessing to others especially those in need.   God blesses us so that those who are hurting in this world may receive comfort.  This is how God chooses to sustain his world.  He blesses the world through those whom he chooses to use as the agents of these blessings.  God blesses you so that you may continue the blessing to those around you.

    It is our failure, our sin, when we claim God’s blessings and then keep them as our own.  We see that we are blessed but do we continue to share this blessing?  Do we continue to be God’s agents and servants in this world or do we keep them bottled up, thinking that we have somehow deserved them by our own merit?  This was one of the two sins that the Old Testament prophets lamented about.  The Israelites sought after false gods and then they misused the poor and the weak.  They stole from the orphans and the widows; they cheated the aliens in their land.  They took all the blessings that God had graciously given to them and then abused the grace.  Yet are we any better?

    Do we turn a blind eye to our neighbor in need because it is too much work to help?  Do we look away because we refuse to give up some unneeded luxury rather than help our fellow man?  If and when we do, we need to repent and ask God’s forgiveness and recognize that our blessing is to be everyone’s blessing and to share it with all those around us.  We are truly blessed by God so now we must be a blessing to those around us.

Father forgive us when we love things and use people.  Forgive us when we take ownership of your blessings rather than be caretakers and ones who share the blessings of this life with those around us.  Open our eyes to the pain that surrounds us.  Open our hearts to love as you love.  In the precious name of Jesus our risen Savior we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret