June 17, 2014
The blessing of God is when He descends on something normal and makes it abnormal; natural and makes it supernatural; human and makes it Divine. For instance, when a boy gave five loaves and two fish, God blessed it and suddenly it fed 5,000 people.
All of us pray for God's blessing. It's an oft-used phrase that expresses our desire for God to descend, put His hand upon something, and take it to a dimension that we could not see on our own.
Think of the areas we pray for this blessing: ""Lord bless our WORK...our FAMILY...our KIDS...our GIVING…our NATION…our LEADERS” etc.
Sometimes we pray for the blessings of God simply because we want them for ourselves. We desire the comfort, power, and pleasure they will bring. And, the blessing of God often provides all of this for us personally. But this is the lowest level of motivation to seek God's blessing. David, in Psalm 67, exhibits the purest and highest level of such prayer.
God be gracious to us and bless us,and cause His face to shine upon us—that Your way may be known on the earth, Your salvation among all nations.
Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for You will judge the peoples with uprightness and guide the nations on the earth.
Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. The earth has yielded its produce; God, our God, blesses us. God blesses us, that all the ends of the earth may fear Him. (Psalm 67)
So, why should we seek the blessing of God in any area of our lives? Here's how we should pray: “Lord, bless us with your favor and presence and power SO THAT...
YOUR WAY may be known on all the earth.
We should seek the hand and favor of God so that the ways in which He operates will be visible in every corner of the earth. The people around us see enough of the ways the world, flesh, and devil function. There are abundant illustrations of godless paths.
But a believer’s life and a church’s life should show others the activity of the One whose “ways are higher than our ways and thoughts are higher than our thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9) Like the stunned crowd on the hillside who had been miraculously fed from God’s hand through a small boys offering, God’s blessings bring into full view the reality that there is a better way than what mere man can produce.
YOUR SALVATION may extend among all nations.
When God showers visible blessing on His people, it is a witness unto the greatness of our God, which leads others to salvation. This may be in the form of provision for a need or grace in the midst of suffering. But it all witnesses to others of a supernatural God.
“If I be lifted up,” Jesus said, “I will draw all men unto Me.” (John 12:32) This speaks not only of the manner of His death, but the process that would one day bring people from every tongue and tribe and nation into His kingdom. When they see God working it draws them to salvation.
Being saved from sin, and death, and hell is the most important thing that can ever happen to any human. And, we long for this salvation of people and nations so that…
YOUR PRAISE will come from all people.
God deserves honor and glory and praise. As men see His blessings and His ways, and are brought to salvation, then more and more people will praise Him for His incredible goodness. They will worship and serve the Creator who is blessed forever and not the creature. (see the opposite in Romans 1:25)
For humanity, praise is the highest place of existence. To live there is to know the greatest joy and the fullest purpose.
“Lord, bless _________,” has become a tired prayer for most of us. Almost a meaningless catch phrase. Now, start praying with all your heart for God’s blessings for these high and holy purposes! And most of all, pray for the blessing of nationwide revival in His church and spiritual awakening among those without Christ!
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