Real Blessings
The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD , that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." (Genesis 22:15-18 NIV)
When you think of being "blessed" by God, what do you think about? Most of us think "blessing" and immediately think about a personal gift from God, something that we can enjoy as a reward for having been obedient. We have a completely selfish reaction, a "look what God did for me" reaction when it comes to blessings.
But let's take a look at what real blessing from God means. Let's look at Abraham. Abraham was the father of our faith, the first listed in the hall of faith, the man we all look to for a model for our faith. We always say that Abraham was greatly blessed by God. And he was, to an extent. He was given Isaac, the child of laughter, the one he had longed for and prayed for all his life. That was definitely a blessing. But look further. Through Abraham's blessing came many other things - primarily a people through whom the rest of the world would learn about the one and only God, and through whom the One and only Savior would be born. When God blessed Abraham, He was blessing the whole world.
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When God blesses you and me, His intent is to do more than throw a jewel to just one of His children. God's blessings are intended to have an overflow effect - to flow out from the one receiving the blessing to many others. If God allows a man to get rich after many years of poverty, it's not just so that man can pay all his bills and have all the many luxuries of life that money can buy. God intends for that man to put the money to good use, to glorify His name, to bless others through his own blessing. God blesses each of us with talents, talents that we should be using to His glory, to bless others with our blessing. In every blessing we receive, there is a way to give it an overflow effect - to allow that blessing to flow out to others so that they, too, can be touched by the hand of God.
Look at the blessings you receive from the Father. Are you clutching them to your breast, selfishly guarding them as yours and yours alone? Or are you allowing those blessings to overflow to those around you, so that through your blessing many can be touched? Think about it.
From Newsong Ministries
Newsong6@bellsouth.net
Used with permission.
