Blessed to be a Blessing!

“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” Galatians 3:14.

God meant for the blessing He gave to Abraham to be shared over and over again. He wanted the blessing of the Spirit of God to be shared by mankind as they placed their faith in Christ. On the other hand, a blessing ceases to be a blessing if it is kept or hoarded by one person or one group of people.

Some people believe they should be blessed without any regard for how they live their lives or what they do in life. But, blessings aren’t meant to be wasted and God blesses those He chooses who also happen to be people He knows will not keep or hoard the blessing. He blesses those who will share the blessing.

Some of the definitions of the word blessing from the Greek – To bless. To speak well of. To praise. To commend. To confer blessing upon, call down divine favor, pronounce a benediction.

When a person in the Bible is called “blessed” by God, the adjective makarios is used.

Makarios – Biblically, one is pronounced blessed when God is present and involved in his life. The hand of God is at work directing all his affairs for a divine purpose, and thus, in a sense such a person lives before the face of God. Blessedness is sharing in the life of God.

Paul was reminding the Galatians that they were once people who knew they were blessed by God, but their lives were beginning to indicate that they had forgotten it. They were so focused on the law, the list of rules, that God’s grace wasn’t evident in their daily lives.

When I was little, my mother would encourage me to play outside. She would call me in for lunch and then send me back outside. It was outside that I learned how to interact with friends. I learned to live within the limits she had given me. But, I also learned that I had responsibilities outside her presence. I had to take the trust and instruction she gave me and obey it outside. Most of the time, I was somewhere she couldn’t see from the window. I had friends all over the neighborhood and I’d ride my bicycle all over. (I lived on a dead-end street and things were much safer back then!) But, I knew that she had blessed me with that privilege.

God has called us to feast in His grace – at His table. He redeemed us. Bought us with the blood of Christ. Then he sent us into the world, trusting that we would follow His instruction and obey Him. He has sent us to a people who don’t know Him personally. Even those who have a relationship with Jesus are learning just how intimate He wants it to be.

Yes, we are redeemed to be a blessing. Your circumstances don’t determine whether or not you’re blessed. The Lord does. And He does so in His presence, face to face with Him – just before He sends us out to be a blessing to those around us.

With all the flowers and trees starting to bloom, it is a Heavenly reminder of spring and Easter. Look for those opportunities today to bless someone with a smile, a hug or a word of encouragement. You will receive the bigger blessing!

Blessings!
Tricia