“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.”
Psalm 1:1
When you open the Bible, you realize the first thing God does in relation to man is to bless him. When you dig a little further, you’ll find the first psalm is also about blessings. Follow the lead to the New Testament, and the most famous sermon Jesus ever preached centers on blessings (Matthew 5:3-14). It is God’s disposition to bless us. A blessing is an act of declaring or wishing God’s favor and goodness upon others. The blessing is not only the good effect of words; inspired by the Spirit, it also has the power to bring those words to pass.
Dr. John Piper puts it this way: “When God blesses us, it is what He really loves to do. God is not acting in a generous manner in order to cloak some malicious motive. God is not saying inside, ‘I will have to be generous for awhile, even though I don’t want to be, because what I really want to do is bring judgment on sinners.’ God is truly acting out His deepest delight when He blesses. His joy, desire, His want and wish and hope, pleasure and gladness and delight is to bless…to give the kingdom to His flock.”*
It is the true inclination of God to shower His favor on our dry, shriveled souls. It is not God’s duty nor His obligation to bless us. It’s something He does out of the greatness of His heart. He blesses you with instruction, gentle persuasion, health, comfort and consolation in times of hardship. He blesses you with friends, intellect, eye sight and hearing. He blesses you with grace upon grace. Today, cultivate a personal disposition to bless others; let it be the measure of your character and heart as you shower favor and mercy on those who need His touch.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name!
