Count Your Blessings

“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.