“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
Dear friends, God has given us the roadmap to receive many blessings.
When I think of the word blessing, the first thing that comes to my mind is the many times I hear someone offer a blessing when someone sneezes.
It has become almost common place.
But blessings from God are something very special and very important.
As early as the book of Genesis, God’s blessings were revered.
Here the words from Genesis, Chapter 12, verses 1-3:
1. The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.
2. "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
3. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
And from Genesis, Chapter 17, verses 18-20:
“18. And Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!"
19. Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.
20. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.”
Blessings are something we as a people, receive from God every day of our lives.
Some things we take for granted, like our heart beating, our lungs exchanging oxygen for carbon dioxide, our brains thinking and processing all sorts of input, our livers cleansing the impurities from the foods we eat.
While other blessings we gaze upon with eyes of wonder, like the birth of a child,
and miracles of healing.
Last week, I shared my list of 12 things I think are stupid.
This week, I’d like to share the list that a group of students were asked to come up with for what they thought were the present Seven Wonders of the World.
Though there was some disagreement, the following got the most votes
1. Egypt’s Great Pyramids
2. Taj Mahal
3. Grand Canyon
4. Panama Canal
5. Empire State Building
6. St. Peter’s Basilica
7. China’s Great Wall
While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one quiet student
hadn’t turned in her paper yet, so she asked the girl if she was having
trouble with her list.
The girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn’t quite make up my mind
because there were so many."
The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help."
The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the Seven Wonders of the World
are
1. to see
2. to taste
3. to touch
4. to hear
She hesitated a little, and then added,
5. to feel
6. to laugh
7. and to love
The room was so full of silence you could have heard a pin drop.
Those things we overlook as simple and "ordinary" are truly wondrous.
This is a gentle reminder that the most precious things in life cannot be
bought.
God gave them to us.
Being happy doesn’t mean everything’s perfect, it just means you’ve
decided to see beyond the imperfections.
Again, let me read from Psalm 1, “Blessed is the man who’s delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”
To love God, is to love God’s law.
It doesn’t have to be seen in the public square, but it does have to be written on our hearts.
Next month, I will be beginning the second year of a two year certified course in Spiritual Direction.
For me, spiritual direction is a way to meditate on God’s word day and night.
It moves me from a self centered perspective to a greater understanding of the big picture.
I’m not God…obviously.
I don’t know all that God knows…obviously.
But I can say, that I have taken intentional set aside time to deliberately seek God’s council and God’s wisdom.
For it is when we seek God’s will that we find true peace.
A peace that the world will never know.
Last week, John & I watched the movie “Stuart Little”.
If you’re not familiar with the story line, it’s about a family with a son who adopts a mouse named Stuart to be the brother of their only son.
When they bring Stuart home, their son, George is very disappointed.
George expected a little brother he could play ball with.
Stuart didn’t exactly fit in.
He felt rejected.
He felt an emptiness that he believed only his real family, a mouse family could provide.
Yes, this story line is not exactly rocket science, but it elicits the feelings we may all have or had at one time or another when we have an empty space inside that needs to be filled.
Some people try to fill it with material things, like boats, cars, motorcycles, or ATV’s.
Other people try to fill it with food, triple chocolate fudge cake, pizza with the works, or heapings of mashed potatoes and gravy.
Still other people try to fill this empty space with alcohol, drugs, pornography, or prostitution.
The empty space will never be filled with the material goods or “pleasures” of this world.
The empty space you may be feeling is the place where God is calling you back to His bosom.
It is the place God wants to fill you with love.
But God will allow this space to remain empty as long as you desire it.
God will never push himself on you and fill that space for you unless you want Him to.
Meditate on God’s law day and night, and see what blessings God will bestow upon you.
God is just waiting for such an opportunity.
When God brings us His blessings, the scriptures tell us that we are like trees planted by streams of water, that yield fruit in season.
Our leaves will not wither.
How we live our lives, shows others how much fruit we yield.
What is the value of our lives?
What have our contributions to this world been?
How have we made an impact in the lives of others?
How have we been a blessing to those who have joined us through our journeys is life?
When we are filled with God’s blessings, calamities may come our way, but our spirits will not wither like the dried up fig tree.
Our leaves will remain green.
Our hearts will not be hardened.
God will hear our cries and return us to His presence.
God will bring the miraculous to us when we meditate on His law day and night.
When His law becomes a part of us that is so natural, we don’t even take notice of it.
When God’s law becomes as natural as our breathing, we have found true spiritual peace.
When God’s law becomes as much a necessary part of us as our lungs and our livers, then we are walking in the path of the righteous.
Then we have no fear for our destiny.
Then we have no doubt to whom we belong.
Then we have an inner peace to fill the void of loneliness and despair.
Before you go to sleep tonight, or in the silent space as I walk up to the altar to pray, or in the line at the grocery store, or while you are waiting in a traffic jam, take the time to count your blessings, and name them one by one.
Amen.
