For many years, I didn’t understand that it was okay for me to ask God to bless me. I thought it was selfish to do so and only prayed for His blessing over others…until I thought about this scripture and others that are very similar to it…
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine upon us, that Your ways may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. May the peoples praise You, O God; may all the peoples praise You. May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You rule the peoples justly and guide the nation of the earth. May the peoples praise You, O God; may all the peoples praise You. Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear Him. Psalm 67
In this Psalm, David asks for God’s blessing so that the nations know of Him. Later, he says when we praise God, and our land yields its harvest…all the earth will fear God.
We ask for and receive blessings to show the world the character and goodness of God. I don’t know about you, but I think that is truly amazing. No other “god” actually wants to give to people and allow that goodness to flow. No, they demand and only want from others.
The one true God doesn’t have a need for anything. He’s God. He has all things already. He simply desires to partner with us and bless us and love us. It’s a choice for Him, not a necessity. A god who needs isn’t a god at all. There is only One God, and He is all things. Has all things. Lacks for no thing.
It is important for us to discover the blessings of God. It is important because the world is in such stark lack. The emptiness we see when we watch the far left and progressive Christians is shocking. There is a huge deficit in our world…and you won’t be surprised to hear me say…that it stems from the breakdown of family.
We need family. We were created for family. It’s God’s design for our lives.
With so much divorce in the world, as well as, all the missing fathers…it’s no wonder society as we know it is threatened. We need fathers and mothers. We need boundaries. We need the family dinner table.
But while we wait for the world to catch up and realize this desperate need, we should focus on living well, enjoying family, and asking for blessings that will cause the world to notice God in our lives. Our lives are meant to be living testimonies of God. Our lives should direct others to the goodness of God.
If our lives are constructed around the “don’t” and “have nots”…then how exactly does that display the glory of God?
God is abundant in all things. He is good. He is faithful. He is more than enough.
Set out today to display the blessings of God. Never be ashamed to share with others when God has blessed you. Never allow others struggles to cause you to fall silent when God does something wonderful in your life.
What if your testimony is the catalyst for their belief? It just might be. Don’t ever discount that.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard testimony from someone, and suddenly something clicked in my heart, and I could suddenly believe for more. My faith increased.
So, faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. Romans 10:17
365 Days in the Presence 