Ponder this...

How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them. Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails. (Psalm 111:2-3)

The instruction given is to PONDER God's deeds. Whenever we choose to ponder God's work around us, within us, and even through us, we are actually taking notice of his glory and majesty. The deeds of the Lord are so vast that even if we were to take an entire day just 'pondering' him and his work around us, we still couldn't stop 'pondering' because we couldn't account for all of them.

Pondering is when we are exercising careful thought. It isn't just a casual 'moment' - it is purposeful, requiring all our attention. It is often what we don't do before making decisions so many times, but what would have served us well if we had! If we take the time to ponder God's direction first, we might make wiser choices from the get-go. It is often the times of considering how Christ acted, what he did while on this earth, how he treated others, and who he sought direction from that reveals to us the direction God would have us to take.

God-directed lives have adopted this concept of 'pondering' as a means of getting to know God better, but also as a way of sensing his direction for their lives. The very next verse in this passage asks, "who can forget the wonders he performs" because when we actually take the time to 'notice' God's actions on our behalf, we might just find a few of those 'wonders' in our own lives right this very moment. 

The Lord has been so very gracious and kind toward each of us. From giving us the time and space to come to know him, seeking his forgiveness, and asking him into our lives, to the discovery of every tidbit of truth he wants to make alive within us, he is gracious. He is at work - where he works, wonderful things are produced. Just sayin!

Blessed beyond measure

No eye has ever seen and no ear has ever heard and it has never occurred to the human heart all the things God prepared for those who love Him. God has shown us these profound and startling realities through His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep mysteries of God. Who can see into a man’s heart and know his thoughts? Only the spirit that dwells within the man. In the same way, the thoughts of God are known only by His Spirit. You must know that we have not received the spirit of this rebellious and broken world but the Spirit that comes from God, so that we may experience and comprehend the gifts that come from God. (I Corinthians 2:9-12) 

All manner of "things" God has prepared for our enjoyment surround us. ALL specifically placed in our life for our enjoyment - and for our growth!  Why do I think all things placed in our life are for our growth?  Have you tried to be mature and responsible for the many blessings you have received and observed how ridiculously hard it can be to "handle" what life throws your way at times?  We may not think of the "things" God places in our lives as being those things he has prepared for our growth and development, but even the simplest of God's blessings has a profound impact in the life of the one who will learn to look for the blessing "inside" his blessing!

The human heart is incapable of fully knowing (recognizing) and understanding (having all the "background" information) all the blessings God has prepared in our lives.  If we were to take up a journal and pen, we'd soon fill the pages with notes accounting for all manner of blessing.  As we'd begin that process, we'd begin to discover this blessing opened the door for that one, then another came along on its heels, until the list just mushroomed - because God's blessings are limitless and his care over our lives is without measure!  Yet, God wants us to come into an appreciation of the blessings and gifts he has placed into our lives - so he sends his Spirit to dwell within us to show us those deep mysteries of his blessing and goodness.  Why?  God wants us to experience AND comprehend the gifts that come from him. He wants us to enter into them, but also to see the ways they actually help us to grow and mature in his grace, love, and mercy.

Consider all those things God has prepared for each of us.  In the most literal sense, preparation involves this sense of pre-planning.  There is some thought which goes into the process that considers the detail necessary to ensure the "thing prepared" is specifically orchestrated for the one it is prepared to bless.  God doesn't just go to the pantry, pull out a 'canned blessing' and send it our way!  He has laid up those blessings way in advance, preparing even the "order" in which we will receive them into our lives.  Preparation requires some "readying" of the subject who will receive and the object which will be received. There is a process of preparation which is underway right now for the next thing God has "readied" for our lives.

The most amazing part of the preparation God is doing in our lives is that we are not even aware of the groundwork being laid to prepare the way for the next thing he has for us! Most of us don't understand the weather, but we learn to read the signs of the weather.  If the wind begins to pick up, we know we may realize a little cooling or even the entry of some clouds along with those winds.  We might dress a little differently, making "preparation" for the possibility of a change in weather which could bring rain, snow, or something in between.  We pick up a sweater, maybe an umbrella, and make our way to the office as usual. God doesn't always give us clarity of what he is doing, does he?  Sometimes his movement in our lives is kind of like that beginning of the weather change - there is a hint things are about to be different (changed), but we don't really know what that entails or how much change will be coming our way.  We prepare what we are able to prepare, in ways we can understand with our minds and appreciate with our hearts. The rest is up to him!

Even times where it appears there is no sign of growth, preparation is underway.  Theroux said, "Winter is a season of recovery and preparation."  Those times when we don't see the preparation occurring may actually be times when God is laying the groundwork - allowing recovery to occur so we are ready for the next thing he has prepared which our heart and mind will find challenge and discovery within.  Discovery of God's heart isn't by chance - it is because there is preparation!  In finding his heart, we might just discover the blessing he has prepared!  Just sayin!

You 'feeling' your blessings?

"A man should always consider how much he has more than he wants." (Joseph Addison) 

“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs." (Matthew 5:3) How much do you 'have' compared to what you 'need'? For many of us, our need appears greater than what we have, but in truth, we have been given so much - we just don't always remember how great those blessings are. As Addison reminds us, it is our duty to consider (reflect upon) our many blessings instead of always focusing so intently on our wants.

The more we recognize our need for God's grace, the less we focus on all the petty 'wants' we have in life. The closer we press into a relationship with Jesus, the less we find ourselves pining after things that don't matter all that much. God blesses those who recognize their need for him - with his entire Kingdom. If that doesn't make you feel a little bit special today, think about it a little longer. We have been given all we need in Christ Jesus.

A need is something essential to life. A want isn't exactly essential, but we crave or desire it. We sometimes get those two confused, focusing on all the wrong stuff, or coming at life with a totally off-kilter view of what it is that will make us 'happy', 'fulfilled', or 'blessed'. The message is that we have already received the biggest blessing we could ever need or want! God gives us all that is necessary for life, but he doesn't always make a way for us to enjoy or achieve all our desires.

The other side of that coin is that our desires begin to 'morph' a bit the closer we get to Jesus. There is a transition that occurs mentally and that begins to affect our desires. Perhaps this is why scripture tells us, "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires." (Psalm 37:4) It is also important to recognize that "Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be." (Matthew 6:21) If we are struggling a bit with 'feeling our blessings', maybe we need to focus a little less on the feeling and a bit more on the connection we have with Jesus. We'll find all we need in him - all we want will begin to seem a little less important as we do. Just sayin!

Start small and see the bigness of God

Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds. 

(George Eliot)

It was Eliot who reminded us, "Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together." Small things add up, don't they? We may not see the effect of one small action today, but in the far off 'tomorrows' that one action may mushroom into a far greater outcome than we ever thought possible.

So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith. (Galatians 6:9-10)

We can grow weary in doing good at times. We plug along, taking all the right steps, doing all the right things, being as 'right' as we are able to be each and every day. Fatigue in 'doing' is natural - we get tired when we are active. Yet, contrary to what we might imagine, it is that action that actually keeps our bodies healthy. Might it just be that 'good actions' in a spiritual sense are also making us 'healthier' spiritually?

Work for the benefit of all - not just the benefit of one. This is a hard concept for some, as all they can think about is how the actions will benefit themselves. They find it hard to see beyond their own needs and wants. Unfortunately, if that is the case, they will often grow wearier and weaker. Why? God intends for us to look beyond our own needs, seeing the needs of others, taking action to meet those needs with whatever means we have at our disposal. 

It may be an extension of our time or talent. It matters not that you don't have money - give your time, energies, and abilities to another and God will bless what you have given. Do you know what I have discovered? When I give my time, energies, and abilities to another, God actually gives me greater energy than I expended. Sure, I get tired in 'doing right', but it is in doing that we are built up for the next thing we are called to do. So 'don't grow weary in well-doing' - for God's blessing awaits you at the end of that doing. Just sayin!

In or Out?

And then he prayed, “God, I’m asking for two things before I die; don’t refuse me—banish lies from my lips and liars from my presence. Give me enough food to live on, neither too much nor too little. If I’m too full, I might get independent, saying, ‘God? Who needs him?’ If I’m poor, I might steal and dishonor the name of my God.” (Proverbs 30:7-9) 

Neither too much, nor too little - are we operating by the "Goldilocks Principle"? We don't want too hard of a bed, nor too soft - it has to be just right. We don't want too much food, nor too small of portions to satisfy - we want them to be just right. We don't want too much hardship, but neither do we expect to live totally without any - it just cannot be too overwhelming to deal with. Most of us want to live by the standards that "suit" us the best. The only problem with this is our inability to really decide on what "suits" us best. We have a "warped" idea of what is "best" for us - because we base what is "best" on what brings us the most comfort, suits our present needs, or just plain doesn't cost us very much to obtain. Not always the best way to make decisions, if I may say so myself! Too much allows us to live just a little too independently and too little might just lead to us making a few unwise decisions which we not only will regret, but which will bring dishonor to the name of God. If I get this scripture correctly, there is a fine balance God is looking for - one which keeps us close enough to him to feel deep peace, yet just hungry enough to move whenever he moves! Being so content with God's love that we desire no other - our hunger drives us closer, not searching for something or someone else to satisfy us.

Nothing satisfies quite like the magnitude of God's riches. Some of us imagine getting closer to Jesus than ever before. Indeed, a good starting place for our day - yet, if we draw closer to him and still don't reach out to others, we really haven't grown in the closeness he desires. We might just have become a little more "religious" instead of growing in the depth of our relationship with him. It is this relationship that brings us to the place of reaching out to others in need, seeking to share from the abundance of what we have found in our relationship. To become so "heavenly minded" that we are of "no earthly good" is not what God desires. In fact, he desires we become so "heavenly hearted" that we cannot help but be of "earthly good"! Neither too much - for it leads to independent thought and action. Neither too little - for it leads to misconduct and damaged reputations. Is the "middle-ground" what some may refer to as "mediocrity"? Nope, I think God has a perfect middle-ground for each of us which really makes us more "grounded" individuals. It is when we are close enough to his heart to experience his heartbeat firsthand, and yet not content to experience this alone. We want others with us in this experience, so we continue to reach out to those who haven't drawn close to him yet, drawing them into his presence and close to his heart.

Independent thought leads to independent action. I am a pretty strong individual - sometimes too strong for my own good. I can fix my own plumbing, but whenever I have to get down on my knees for too long to actually fit into those tight spaces, I find I don't bend as easily as I did before! I can mow my own lawns, but I pay the price of dealing with my allergies when I do. There are a lot of things I can do in my independence and strength, but the consequences of always doing things independent of God's direction and wisdom are not always those we'd like to experience! A lack of contentment can drive us in many different directions, cannot it not? Sometimes it drives us right back to square zero and we find ourselves relying heavily upon developing our relationship with Jesus a little deeper or afresh. At other times, it drives us toward more "promising" ventures - but the "promises" of any venture that takes us further from Jesus is really not any venture we'd like to be on. Trust me on that one! My prayer for us today - neither too much, nor too little. You in? Just askin!

Not enough containers

 We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit! (Romans 5:3-4)

As a seamstress of sorts, (actually just someone who sews things from time to time), I know the purpose of a hem. The hem exists so the rough edges that would easily fray if left alone are no longer exposed. You 'trap' the exposed edges and then enclose them. The purpose of hemming someone in is to hold them in place, so they cannot escape. You are restricting them in some manner. Just as with the hem on the garment which restricts the fabric from unraveling, the one who is hemmed in by anything (especially troubles) may feel like they cannot move or change their position. The opposite is quite true - for no 'hem' is actually permanent - there are always 'hem rippers'!

We are 'forged' in the moments when we feel a little 'closed in' by the circumstances of life. We may not feel it at the moment, but we aren't going to be 'stuck' there forever. As a matter of fact, God is about to bust through those walls today for a good number of us. The 'hem ripper' is about to be put into use and our life is about to feel free once again! In the meantime, we allow the 'forging' to continue - so steel-like strength is developed in us. What hems you in right now will not be able to hold you there for long because God has prepared a way of escape!

In the midst of troubles, something amazing happens - God's blessings just pour into our lives. We may not see them at first, but the Holy Spirit is hard at work preparing us to receive them. As our writer indicates - blessings too great for us to find enough containers to scoop them all up! Imagine for a moment being in one of those money machines where the air blows the bills all around and you are there grabbing for those bills. You are hemmed in, aren't you? The bills are right there, but the circumstances of the wind blowing them all over is making it hard to get hold of them. God's blessings are all around you right now, but you may feel you cannot get hold of them because the winds of adversity are blowing too hard for you to grab hold. 

The Holy Spirit doesn't stop working in our lives just because a few trials come our way. In fact, he goes to work even harder because he has great things to show us in those trials. He has a work to do when we fell ourselves hemmed in. We might want out, but he isn't quite ready to rip out the hem yet. What is about to happen cannot be contained - that means there will be an abundance that comes from the midst of the most 'constrictive' of times and places in our lives. Just sayin!

Blessed when...

You’re blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. You’re blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. That’s right—you don’t go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set. You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it. Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set; Then I’d never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel. I thank you for speaking straight from your heart; I learn the pattern of your righteous ways. I’m going to do what you tell me to do; don’t ever walk off and leave me. (Psalm 119:7)

It might be hard for some to appreciate the truth of God 'prescribing' the right way for each of us to live, especially when we think we know the best way to live for ourselves is really what we want above all things in life. When you go to the doctor with your chest on fire and head filled so full of congestion you can hardly see clearly, you might expect a 'prescription' for some sort of antibiotic, cough medicine, and even something to help you breathe a little better. You take that prescription to the local pharmacist, don't you? You take the pills or drink the liquid stuff provided, don't you? Why? You want to get rid of the pain, feel the relief, and enjoy being free to be 'back in the swing of things again'. If we are so willing to use those prescriptions given by the doctor here on earth, why are we so afraid or reluctant to use the one given by the Great Physician? The one that will set our entire life free of all the pain we squirrel away, the relief we need from the fears we have embraced, and the ability to walk free of all of sin's miserable pull. 

You and I are actually 'blessed' by embracing his prescription - salvation through Christ Jesus. We are blessed when we embrace his direction - opening his Word each day, taking in manageable portions, and allowing those portions to begin to 'feed' our lives with life and liberty. We are blessed when we begin to put one foot in front of the other in the direction he leads - no longer content to follow the masses, or strike out in our own independence in the way we think will lead to our 'happiness'. He 'prescribes' the best 'cure' for our lives, but we have to actually 'use' what we are given. We have to do more than know he has prescribed it. If you are like the majority of believers, you make fits and starts in this walk with Christ. Sometimes we are quite steady in our travels with him, while we stumble along at others. The important thing is to 'use' what we are given each step along the way.

Believe it or not, there is a 'pattern' to right living. Think about those prescriptions provided by your doctor when you were ill. You took the pills three times a day, before each meal, or spread out over a certain amount of hours. Some were to be taken with food, others on empty stomach. Some required you to avoid direct sun for a period of time, Still others required you to drink a full glass of water with them. You followed the 'directions' given because the 'pattern' prescribed was what would make you well, correct? Why is it any different with the 'pattern' God prescribes for our lives through is Word? The pattern established is purposeful - each application of truth will bring some element of God's grace and healing into a particular area of our lives - even when we don't realize we are not 'healthy' in those areas. That doctor prescribed multiple medications for your yucky cold because he knew you had more than just a simple cold. You needed congestion removed from your lungs, infection controlled in your nasal passages, and even relief for your ears because of all the clogging of those small tubes in there.

Blessed when...  Did you catch that? It is when we do what he asks or instructs that we are blessed - filled to the fullest, overflowing, and able to give out. Healthy people can be around others - sick people have to 'quarantine' from others - why? They are infectious - their illness can be spread. Wouldn't it be nice to have something other than 'illness' to give out from our lives? We can have that - through embracing the 'prescription' provided by God himself - the Great Physician - the Creator of all things. Just sayin!

I am in second place

So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it. (Colossians 3:12)

Chosen by God - don't those words just excite the soul? There is an intense desire on God's part to have you and I as his children - embraced by his love, set free by his grace, and living in the liberty those two things produce within us. We aren't just 'picked from the pack' - we are chosen by him because there is an intense desire - a passion of sorts that keeps his focus squarely on each of us. As a result, we are never outside of his provision, protection, and certainly not far from the reach of his passion. 

One part of this passage that struck me this morning was the point of being 'content' with second place. How many times do we strive to be on top? From our earliest age, we played games where someone was 'it' and all the rest of us made it safely home without being tagged by whoever was 'it'. That meant we didn't have to be the seekers - we were the ones who won. We competed in sports like there was no other goal than the ribbon or medal at the end, but we didn't want anything short of the gold or the blue - because first place was said to be the most important.

I don't know about you, but as I have grown a little older, slightly wiser, and more 'seasoned' in the choices I make, there is no 'drive' for me to be at the top any longer. I am perfectly content with 'second place' in life. Not that I don't give it my all, because I still put 100% into my work, relationships, and even my leisure time. I just don't strive any longer to 'be on top' - the king of the hill. Why? I have discovered the futility of the climb! The climb is hard and the result of 'being on top' all the time isn't really all that rewarding. 

Try telling that to some 'up and comer' in the ranks of their career today and they will look at you like you have grown a third eye in the middle of your forehead. Try convincing the athlete being on the team is an honor, not being named the "MVP" of the game and they will look at you like you have lost your last marble. Society pushes us to be at the top of our game all the time, but let me give you a little permission here - second place is not a bad place to dwell. In fact, as long as the love of Christ rules your life, you are squarely in the embrace of his love and grace, and your eye is on him first and foremost, there is no other 'climb' worth the investment.

The 'climb' into his arms, right up into the 'snuggle' of his lap, is pretty doggone amazing and it certainly carries with it some pretty phenomenal rewards or blessings. I cannot describe it any other way other than the 'snuggle' of being in the lap of the Lord's love and grace. It would be like one of your kids just crawled up in your lap, sat there and just snuggled for a while. How does that make a parent feel? Pretty doggone blessed and amazed at the intensity of the love shared in those 'snuggle' moments! So, snuggle in - you aren't 'settling' for second place - you are embracing the liberty of it! Just sayin!

Is that a blessing-blocker?

It was Eric Hoffer who reminded us: "The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings." These are indeed good words, for we oftentimes forget about our blessings until they are taken from us, or no longer are appreciated in our lives. We cannot escape God's blessings - they are inherent in serving him. We can, and oftentimes do forget them, though. For the most part, it isn't that we want to forget them, but that we become complacent with them. We don't recount them enough and this leads to us almost taking them for granted. It would be a good exercise for each of us to regularly and quite deliberately taking inventory of the many ways God blesses us each day.

Training your body helps you in some ways, but serving God helps you in every way by bringing you blessings in this life and in the future life, too. (I Timothy 4:8)

The more we 'train' our bodies, the more our bodies are able to do for us, right? The more we train our minds, the more we are able to do with our minds. The more we recognize our emotions, the more aware we are of when we are responding emotionally in a circumstance. If these things all hold true in our lives, then it makes perfect sense that the more we focus on serving God with our whole being, the more we will begin to be surrounded by and immersed in his blessings. Yet, that doesn't always mean we take notice of them, does it? We actually have to stop, breathe in and out a bit, and actually 'notice' what is around us, within us, and being done for us.

Did you know there are things that actually serve to 'block' the blessings of God in our lives? Maybe you didn't realize it, but things like bitterness and the unwillingness to forgive another act as 'blockers' to God's blessings. Things like envy and high-minded pride get in the way of us receiving all the blessings we could receive. There are indeed 'blessing blockers' we need to be aware of in our lives - but we may not even see these 'blockers' until we recognize we aren't really seeing the blessings of God as we used to. Whenever we let things creep in that act as blocking agents to seeing and appreciating God's blessings in our lives, we might not even realize we aren't enjoying those blessings anymore.

Part of athletic training - the training of one's body - is to remove barriers to getting our body into shape. For example, if we are eating poorly, with all manner of 'empty calorie' intake, our bodies won't be in as good of shape as if we changed our intake. So, athletic training involves modifying our diet in order to give our body the nutrients it needs in order to be at peak performance. We may not appreciate the value of a little pain as we are working to become 'athletically fit', but the more we push a little beyond the initial pain, we begin to see changes in our physical body. The same holds true in the sense of our spiritual man - it requires us to remove barriers in order to grow and mature. 

God's blessings are all around us, but we may not see them very clearly. Perhaps some of those blessings we had once known so well are now not as evident in our lives. Maybe it is time to look at things that could be 'blocking' us receiving those blessings or being aware of them in our lives. The things that block our blessings are not usually on God's side - they are usually on ours! Just sayin!

Bless me, bless me, bless me

Sometimes it is hard looking at our friends, seeing them move into gorgeous new homes, driving swanky new cars, or jetting off to far away places on vacation after vacation. We get a little envious at times, don't we? We'd like a new home - ours is good, but it doesn't have all the features their new ones offers. We wish our cars ran as smoothly with less visits to the mechanic shop, but they still get us places we need to be. We have desires to explore islands afar, but a simple tent in the woods is all our budget will allow at present. Yet, when we stop to think on this just a little, we might just remember how truly blessed we are in this life - all because of the extravagant generosity of God!

Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God, this deep, deep wisdom? It's way over our heads. We'll never figure it out. Is there anyone around who can explain God? Anyone smart enough to tell him what to do? Anyone who has done him such a huge favor that God has to ask his advice? Everything comes from him; everything happens through him; everything ends up in him. Always glory! Always praise! Yes. Yes. Yes. (Romans 11:33-36 MSG)

Answer the question honestly - have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God? We probably all would find we have so much in the way of "riches" right in our own possession and we either don't see them, or we have been taking them for granted all this time. The immediate blessing that likely comes to mind is the incredibly unfathomable acceptance of each of us into the family of God. We are not from royalty, but we have been adopted into a family of incredible royalty! Now, there's a blessing for us to truly consider! What about the blessings of our ability to do simple tasks which we take for granted so very often? Things like brushing our teeth, combing our hair, and buttoning our own clothing. As a nurse, I have seen thousands over the years lose this very ability - through the effects of crippling arthritis, spinal cord injuries, or neurological assaults on the brain. We just don't know what a blessing it is to be able to complete these simple tasks until we find ourselves unable to do them!

Now that you have thought of a few blessings you maybe have taken for granted, it is important for us to keep in mind that we'll never figure out God. Try as we might, God's wisdom, grace, and unconditional love are unfathomable to us in their totality - we get bits and pieces of these, but not really a full understanding of them! Everything comes from him. Everything happens through him. Everything ends in him. Everything! All we "possess". All which seemingly just "happens" in our day. All are a result of him being the Lord of our lives. Nothing is by our own creation - we are nothing and able to create nothing without him. Nothing is by our own efforts - he gives us the breath and strength to undertake the task at hand. When we stop to consider one word that might describe God, we could probably sum him up with the word "Everything". When we stop to consider what we are without God, we think of one word: Nothing. So, if we want "everything" - we are really saying we want more of God - not the blessings, but the ONE who blesses us in ways we cannot possibly comprehend.

Before we start wishing for more of what we "think" we need, maybe we should start asking for more of what we "really" need! God is never more honored than when we bring our need to him. It is in the acknowledging of our dependence upon him that he is brought honor. Apart from God, we really possess nothing. In God, we are blessed with and through everything! It is not just what we possess, but what possesses us! God's greatest glory is not found in us figuring him out - - it is in us honoring him with our obedience and love in spite of the fact we don't understand all he does and all he is! Our "unlimited blessing" is really most rewarding when it is realized in the courts of God. Just sayin!

Respect - who knew?

If you have wondered what it takes to live a "blessed life", then you have to look no further than the examples we find in scripture.  Some will say there is a whole lot tragedy and suffering in those pages, so how can I ever equate that with living a blessed life.  It depends on how you view your blessings, my friend. I have learned much from the suffering in my own life - some might even say I have been made stronger, and grown in my relationship with Jesus and others as a result.  Now, in my estimation - that is a blessed life.

Respect the Lord and be humble. Then you will have wealth, honor, and true life. (Proverbs 22:4 ERV)

A blessed life is one in which the Lord receives the right placement and the right honor.  When we are humble enough to acknowledge we have need of the Savior's oversight and work in our lives, we begin the journey toward true blessing.  As long as we hold onto the reins of our lives, we won't realize the blessing of being in his protective care.  It is much more work to hold on than it is to let go, though.  As "hard" as we may think it is to "let go" of those reins, it is much, much harder to hold so tightly to them when the world around us is spinning in every direction!

I looked up synonyms for the word respect.  Do you know there are about twenty?  In fact, when I began to look at some of the synonyms, I was kind of amazed to see how much they really pointed toward the type of relationship we are to maintain with Christ.  Here are just a few:

- Appreciate.  In essence, when we say we are to "appreciate" the Lord, we are saying we are to place him in the place of the highest of regard in our lives. This means we do more than place him on a pedestal as some "thing" we worship, but rather to give him the prominent place in our lives.  Imagine for a moment that the prime minister, highest government official, or President of your country announced he was going to take supper at your home next Monday and you had the time to prepare for his visit to your home, what would you do?  I imagine you'd clean up the place, buy a few luxurious delicacies, and then ensure the nicest of meals was placed before him that night.  Why?  You want to show him honor or regard for his position.  When we appreciate the position of Christ in our lives, we are acknowledging he holds the most prominent and influential position.

- Awe.  Would you have equate respect with awe?  It came as a little bit of a surprise to find this in the list of synonyms, but it is listed as the second!  When I saw the opposite of awe as none other than apathy, it became clear to me why awe made it to the list for expressing respect.  The opposite of apathy is passion, emotional investment, and excitement.  Respecting the Lord brings into our lives a certain passion - because we begin to pour ourselves into the pursuit of the good things he calls us into.  At first, the relationship is definitely one of what we can imagine we will "get out of it", but in time, the relationship begins to turn to what we can "give back into it".  We move from a place of "bless me, God" to a place of "God, make me a blessing".  In essence, we are moving into a place of passion and excitement - a place where God can begin to use us. There is no greater honor or respect we can give him than to be of use to him in his kingdom!

- Recognition.  At first, I thought this just had to do with giving him the right place in our lives - like we give recognition to the one who wins the race, or plays the lead in a play.  It carries a much deeper meaning, though.  The idea is that of giving admittance to so that we might learn to understand his ways and his movements.  Whenever we let someone into our lives, isn't one of the things we do in the course of time is become more familiar with how they act, what they mean when they say something, etc.?  In much the same way, recognition of God's activity in and around us is a way of showing him respect.  It is us noticing him which begins many a great work within us.  Just sayin!

Bless, and be a blessing

Bless:  To bestow good of any kind upon someone; to protect or guard from evil; beautify. At first, the word "bless" or the term "be blessed" may seem a little superfluous and we dismiss it because we really don't stop to consider just what it means.  If we consider each of these points individually, we might just reconsider our being "blessed"!  If someone comes into your life to bring good, bestowing all manner of "blessing" or "goodness" into your life, wouldn't you be delighted to have come into acquaintance with that individual?  In fact, you probably would not want to break that relationship because it has such "good benefits"! Now, this is not the purpose of remaining in relationship with Jesus, but it is a "perk" of it! As long as we remain close to his heart, we receive the blessings of his heart!  That said, we can then add the next definition - that of being protected and guarded from all manner of evil in our lives.  In fact, we can add the next simply because anyone in relationship with Jesus recognizes that he brings beauty where ashes once were, restores what was once only "damaged goods", and creates afresh inner beauty which just radiates to the outside!

You bless everyone who lives in your house, and they sing your praises.  You bless all who depend on you for their strength and all who deeply desire to visit your temple.  When they reach Dry Valley, springs start flowing, and the autumn rain fills it with pools of water.  Your people grow stronger, and you, the God of gods, will be seen in Zion.  (Psalm 84:4-7 CEV)

The condition of blessing:  To live in God's house.  In other words, we are a member of his family, made so through trust in the sacrifice of Jesus, and adoption into the family of God. 

The response to blessing:  To sing God's praises.  If you have ever felt so overwhelmed by the goodness of God, taking even just a moment to stop to consider his tremendous grace extended, you don't take long to launch into praises and accolades of our one true God!

The results of blessing:  To depend on God for all our strength and to deeply desire close fellowship with him and his people.  Dependency is a "must" in God's economy - he cannot "bless" to the same degree when we are trying to constantly do things "our way". In time, we frustrate the plans of God in our lives if we just keep resisting his rule of our lives. When we come into a place of trusting him with our lives, we come into a place of wanting to share our lives with others who also have come into this place of trust relationship.

The enjoyment of blessing:  To know refreshing, even in the driest places in our lives. There is no place we can go where God's blessing cannot reach - even the dry, barren places receive his "outpouring" of goodness.

The outcome of blessing:  To grow stronger than we can ever be apart from him and to reflect his nature to those around us.  Growth is one of the key aspects of being "blessed" by God.  In times of barrenness, not much growth seems to be forthcoming, but if we understand how God operates, we begin to see it is in these places of barrenness he is free to cultivate the growth he desires to bring forth.  We grow stronger in the place of barrenness and our roots go deeper - in search of what brings us sustenance and true satisfaction.

We may not feel blessed at all times, but know this - God's blessings never cease to exist. If we remember one of the "key blessings" in our lives is his oversight and protection - keeping us from evil - then we can honestly say the "feeling" of blessing is present with us at all times (even when we are not "cognizant" of it).  We may not recognize the place of blessing as significant, but when we draw closer to him by changing what captures our focus the majority of the time, we find we begin to sense his presence as drawing us even closer. This closeness becomes more and more important to us, until we forsake all other things within our focus - giving God not only our "majority", but our "all".  

God doesn't hold blessing out like a carrot on a stick for his kids to somehow be "enticed" into relationship with him.  Yet, just by the very nature of his goodness and grace, his blessings are ever evident in our lives just because we have drawn close to him.  It is kind of hard to imagine being blessed this much, but if we truly begin to consider the protection we might be overlooking and the beauty his presence brings, we might just be finding ourselves exalting in the many blessings of God today!  Just sayin!