Blessings R Us

photo by Blaise-Von Lanthen

Have you ever heard the same thing multiple times during the course of a day? Once is normal, twice is interesting, but three times or more comes across as, "Okay, somebody's trying to tell me something."

This morning I'd like to talk about something I heard twice on Sunday. It's something I could have easily heard three times, and in a way, maybe I did. In my memory. See if you recognize the following. Perhaps you have heard it yourself at the end of a church service.

 "The Lord bless you and keep you;

The Lord make His face shine upon you,

And be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,

And give you peace."

That is a standard blessing given at the end of many Christian worship services. It was also in my daily reading on Sunday. Numbers 6:24-26. I also heard it at a funeral Sunday afternoon. It's called "The Priestly Blessing" in the Bible. And what a blessing it is!

Has the Lord blessed you? Has He looked with favor upon you? Has He been gracious to you? Has He smiled at you and given you peace?

How would you answer that question?

My answer is a resounding "Yes!"

Here's a tougher question though. Have you been those same things to others? Have you blessed others, has your face shone on others? Have you been gracious? Have you brought peace into people's lives who are not experiencing any?

My answer to that question is not so enthusiastic, nor is it as positive. All I can muster is a meager, ". . . umm, sometimes."

Does the way I live my life reflect the life God wants me to live? Am I imitating Christ as I walk through this world? Or do I look so much like "the world" that people can't tell the difference?

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; ² and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma." - Ephesians 5:1-2

We are Christ's ambassadors for His kingdom. Will we love others as He first loved us? Will people look at us and think of Him?  You and I are here for a reason - to love God and love one another. Imagine a world filled with sacrificial love and you will begin to see that God's plan is perfect. Let us begin today by being a blessing to someone in our lives. That will be a "fragrant aroma" to our Lord and Savior, Jesus.

My Jesus - Todd Agnew