GETTING GOD'S BLESSINGS
Blessed are they that do his commandments. Rev. 22:14
There is no doubt but that God possesses infinite blessings and that He wants to make them available to His people.
But it is not always clear how these blessings become ours. Have you noticed the way in which we customarily pray about blessings? We pray, "Bless this food to our health." But what are we assuming? Is the blessing "sprinkled" down from heaven like holy water until it becomes part of the food? Would God implant that blessing as readily in a green salad as He would in deep-fried squid? Is the food less healthful if we don't ask for the blessing?
Perhaps it would be more fitting to begin praying as we are pushing the cart through the grocery store. We could affirm to God that we are willing to be reminded to select those foods that are inherently healthful. Then at mealtime we could thank Him for such good food and for the wisdom to prepare it healthfully.There are three general approaches to the question of how we obtain God's blessings. They could be summarized in this way:
Blessings are earned......God is obligated to us by our works.
Blessings are coaxed......God is enticed by our begging.
Blessings are inherent......God is wise in teaching us.
Much of our praying for blessings falls into the second category. We assume that God retains large quantities of "blessings," which He arbitrarily dispenses (as department store Santa Clauses dispenses candy to children) to those with whom He is pleased. The flip side of this idea, of course, is that He also can reach into His bag of curses and inflict a few of those upon people with whom He is displeased.
According to either reasoning, God uses His resources to manipulate us. Worshipping a manipulative God, we in turn become manipulative. We try to "stroke" Him with our eloquent prayers or impress Him with our array of good behaviour.
Under the third approach to God's blessings, we see God as describing to us the path of inherent blessing. Those who obey are blessed by virtue of the fact that they walk in those paths. This implies that God always asks His people to do that which will, in the doing, bring the best of physical, social, spiritual, and emotional health. Obedience, then, brings its own reward. Thus neither blessings nor cursings are the acts of an arbitrary God.
Blessed are they that do his commandments. Rev. 22:14
There is no doubt but that God possesses infinite blessings and that He wants to make them available to His people.
But it is not always clear how these blessings become ours. Have you noticed the way in which we customarily pray about blessings? We pray, "Bless this food to our health." But what are we assuming? Is the blessing "sprinkled" down from heaven like holy water until it becomes part of the food? Would God implant that blessing as readily in a green salad as He would in deep-fried squid? Is the food less healthful if we don't ask for the blessing?
Perhaps it would be more fitting to begin praying as we are pushing the cart through the grocery store. We could affirm to God that we are willing to be reminded to select those foods that are inherently healthful. Then at mealtime we could thank Him for such good food and for the wisdom to prepare it healthfully.There are three general approaches to the question of how we obtain God's blessings. They could be summarized in this way:
Blessings are earned......God is obligated to us by our works.
Blessings are coaxed......God is enticed by our begging.
Blessings are inherent......God is wise in teaching us.
Much of our praying for blessings falls into the second category. We assume that God retains large quantities of "blessings," which He arbitrarily dispenses (as department store Santa Clauses dispenses candy to children) to those with whom He is pleased. The flip side of this idea, of course, is that He also can reach into His bag of curses and inflict a few of those upon people with whom He is displeased.
According to either reasoning, God uses His resources to manipulate us. Worshipping a manipulative God, we in turn become manipulative. We try to "stroke" Him with our eloquent prayers or impress Him with our array of good behaviour.
Under the third approach to God's blessings, we see God as describing to us the path of inherent blessing. Those who obey are blessed by virtue of the fact that they walk in those paths. This implies that God always asks His people to do that which will, in the doing, bring the best of physical, social, spiritual, and emotional health. Obedience, then, brings its own reward. Thus neither blessings nor cursings are the acts of an arbitrary God.
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