“Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.” – Psalm 84:5
So often, especially now on my health and wellness journey, I am reminded of Philippians 4:13 which states, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” When I think about this verse, it reinforces the fact that I am not alone in any struggle I face. God promises to strengthen me through His beloved Son. Today, however, as I read the key verse, I realized that God has chosen to BLESS me through His strength. This realization is so amazing to me. When I think of the enormity of what it means – what it truly means to be blessed of God – I am astounded that He would choose to bless me!
As I shared my thoughts with a friend, she commented that in Matthew 5 (her devotional for today) recorded the words of Jesus at the Sermon on the Mount. In referene to individuals, He used the term “blessed” 9 times! And then, Jesus told them to rejoice!! God’s blessings should cause us all to rejoice!!
What does it mean to be blessed of God? Here are a few examples of individuals in the Bible whose lives were blessed by the Lord.
- Abraham – “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” – Genesis 12:2-3
- Isaac – “And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake.” – Genesis 26:24
- Jacob – “And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him. And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.” – Genesis 35:9-10
- Ruth – “And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.” – Ruth 3:10
- Mary – “And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.” – Luke 1:28
When I read the Biblical accounts of these people (and many more), I realized that to be blessed of God is a big deal! When I read a verse that tells me I am blessed of God, I realize it is so much more than the Lord meeting my daily needs or providing a few luxuries in my life. It means that God Himself, the Creator of the universe, has chosen to bestow His favor upon me. GOD’S FAVOR!! I cannot even comprehend the enormity of what that encompasses! However, coupling my limited understanding of that does mean with the knowledge that I am so undeserving, my heart is filled with an overwhelming gratitude to the One who loves me with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3) that spans eternity.
Being blessed of God… it is too amazing to even put into words!
I need thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like thine can peace afford.
I need thee, O I need thee; every hour I need thee!
O bless me now, my Savior, I come to thee.
I need thee every hour; teach me thy will,
And thy rich promises in me fulfill.
I need thee, O I need thee; every hour I need thee!
O bless me now, my Savior, I come to thee.
(from “I Need Thee Every Hour” by Annie S. Hawks and Robert Lowry)
“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.” – Jeremiah 17:7
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Rejoice in the Lord always!! Again, I say rejoice!