BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING

“I will make you a great nation; I WILL BLESS YOU and make your name great; and YOU SHALL BE A BLESSING” – Genesis 12:2

The Heart of our Loving Father is that His children are BLESSED to BE A BLESSING: “I will make you a great nation; I WILL BLESS YOU and make your name great; and YOU SHALL BE A BLESSING. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen.12: 2-3). This was the LORD speaking to father Abraham and the generations of people of Faith, who “are blessed with believing Abraham” (Gal.3:9). God’s blessing of Abraham was just the first step in a much bigger plan to extend that blessing through to all the earth’s peoples. God is not selfish with His blessings. They are intended to be shared with all, beginning with the inestimable blessing of salvation from sin and including all the other good things He has freely bestowed on humankind.

God intended to bless Abraham and his descendants, but He never meant this blessing to be exclusive. He singled out Abraham (and later his physical descendants, the nation of Israel) as a first strategic step in what was to be a world-embracing plan of salvation. God’s selection of Abraham (and Israel) out of a mass of humanity who had drifted far from Him – was a tactical move. It was a means to an end, rather than the end itself (Isa.42: 1, 6-7). God assigned a crucial role to the Old Testament people of Israel, as the first recipients of His gracious promises. To them belonged the covenant, the wonderful agreement by which God first established a relationship with a community of people on earth. God gave Israel the law, the revelation of His holy nature, of His character and expectations.

Israel was the instrument God chose to give His Messiah to the world, His Chosen One, who would be the means of salvation for everyone. The promises of blessing that God made to Abraham ultimately point to Jesus Christ and find their fulfilment in Him: “Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ” (Gal.3:16).

I received this inspiring note from a friend, and it reinforced my thoughts for today’s devotional:

“Someone you know is preparing for their fit Christmas without their husband, wife, mother, father, brother, sister, daughter or son. Others are preparing for their last. Regardless of the specifics, remember that this season of Joy is often times a season of sorrow for many. Be kind, be generous, give love, give help; if nothing else, just don’t give people a hard time.”

Some of us have been greatly blessed: Materially, financially, maritally, and relationally, with loving families, jobs, and homes. For Believers in Christ, whatever our circumstances, we’ve been given the greatest gifts: faith, hope and love (1Cor.13:13). We’ve been blessed with Grace and the Hope of Glory (Col.1:27). In Christ, we’ve been given everything that is eternally worthwhile. God did all of these so that we could bless others. This is the spirit of this season. We are blessed to be a blessing to others who may be less privileged in certain aspects of life. As we grow in Christ, we must grow in blessing others, living generously towards others, by God’s Grace and with His help.

We’re blessed to bless: “And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace” (Jh.1:16). We’re blessed to live a life of love, sacrifice, and generosity with everything God has blessed us with, including our time, talents, treasures, friendships, joy, forgiveness and mercy! God’s Heart of Love has always been for the whole world, and His plan was always to offer salvation to all the world’s peoples. Missions and the Great Commission are not an afterthought or mere appendages to the work of the Church. From the very beginning God’s purpose to bless and save has always had a universal scope. Boxing Day is about giving, sharing, and being a blessing!