Blessing

DAILY BYTE

The next aspect of calling that Abraham’s story helps us understand more clearly can be summarised in the following way:

Calling is wrestling with your blessing.

In Genesis 12. 2, Abraham is told that, “I will bless you, and make your name great, SO THAT YOU WILL BE A BLESSING.”

What we religious people do is continually make the mistake of living as if we have been chosen by God only so that we may personally be blessed. Yet when we do this, when we forget that we are blessed TO BE a blessing, we distort our truest identity and we drift from God’s calling for us.

When we assume that we have been blessed exclusively rather than instrumentally; and when we see ourselves as blessed to the exclusion of others rather than for the benefit of others, then we become part of the problem instead of the solution.

Follow a calling almost always involves wrestling with blessing. If I have been blessed with millions of rands, is it really so that I can have a big house and lots of cars. Is that why? Really?

Or if I have been blessed with incredibly singing or artistic talent, is it really so that I can fulfill my need to be the centre of attention. Is that why? Really?

We are always going to need to actively wrestle with our blessing, because our tendency is to want to take whatever we may be blessed with and make it all about us. To hoard it and keep it only for ourselves.

But God’s calling will never let us forget that we are blessed so that we might become a blessing to others.

How might God want you to begin using your blessings for the benefit of others?

PRAY AS YOU GO

Gracious God, thank you for pouring your blessings upon me. Help me to truly appreciate all that I have, and to creatively use these blessings to benefit others. Amen

FOCUS READING

Genesis 12: 1-2

Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.

Isaiah 52: 7

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns."