Humbly Perplexed

"And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was.

Luke 1:26-29

God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth with an important message for Mary, the young virgin betrothed to Joseph. Gabriel called Mary "favored one." Favored one in the original Greek means to honor with blessings. And Mary was perplexed at hearing that. She didn't see why she should receive God's favor. She didn't see herself as one to be honored by God. She was humble. God honored Mary out of His grace, and He was with her, as He is with all who trust in Him. When God bestows a blessing upon us, the proper response is to be grateful. To realize in humility that His favor is undeserved. And to ponder this amazing grace that He bestows. 

Blessings Abound

"They who dwell in the ends of the earth stand in awe of Your signs; 

You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy."

Psalm 65:8

Last night several deer grazed in the meadow next to our home. I watched them from our bedroom window and wondered about one in particular -- a doe -- who seemed to be more alert to sounds than the others. It made me wonder if she had babies near by. Suddenly, I saw twin fawns walking out of the tall grass toward her. I grabbed my camera, quietly stepped outside and followed the fawns with my lens. What a joy it was for me to watch them frolic, as I snapped photo after photo. When the deer family finally left our area, I returned to the house and downloaded my photos. This one tugged at my heart. The carefree spirit of these fawns reminds me that I need to be more open to the joy God wants to bring me every day. His blessings abound, if I will only take the time to stop and notice them. Thank you, Lord, for bringing the fawns my way and causing my eyes to look up.

Before We Build

"Unless the LORD builds the house,
         They labor in vain who build it;"

Psalm 127:1

Whatever we are building, whether it be a home or a church, a family or a nation, without God's blessing we will not prosper. The builders of the tower of Babel came to realize this when they set out to erect a great structure without God's favor. He confounded their language and made it impossible for them to succeed. Their labor was in vain. When Solomon built the temple and his own house, he did so with God's anointing. The results were much different from the Babel fiasco. It is good for us to consider these two examples before we begin construction. Have we first consulted God? Do we have His blessing?

Making a List

"I shall remember the deeds of the LORD;

         Surely I will remember Your wonders of old. 

    I will meditate on all Your work

         And muse on Your deeds." 

Psalm 77:11-12

As we enter the first week of the new year, it's a perfect time to reflect on the many blessings we have received from the Lord. This morning I sat down and listed all the blessings I could think of from the past year. In no time I had 55 separate blessings. I'm sure I've only scratched the surface of the Lord's wonderful deeds in 2010. I'm going to keep adding to the list as God brings more blessings to mind. How about you?

Extravagant Worship

"You visit the earth and cause it to overflow;

         You greatly enrich it;

         The stream of God is full of water;"

Psalm 65:9a

Consider the awesome goodness of God. The Almighty King of the Universe desires to commune with us. He condescends to meet with us. His mercy is abundant. Through Jesus, the Father made a way for us to come to Him. He blesses us beyond our wildest imagination with His presence. His grace, kindness and blessings overflow. They are endless. How can we keep silent with such knowledge?  It is too great to keep to ourselves. Our worship should be extravagant. As extravagant as the love of God.

True Thanksgiving

"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 67:5-7

Today in the United States we celebrate Thanksgiving. It is a day when we "count our blessings". A day when we are thankful. But thankful to whom? It is God who blesses the earth. It is God who is to receive the praise and reverence. Whether we have much, or little, we are indeed blessed. The holy God of the Universe loves us. So much so that He gave His own son Jesus Christ for our salvation (John 3:16). Those who have received Him have much for which to be thankful. If you have not yet received Christ as your Savior and put your trust in Him, today would be a good day to do so. It brings a whole new meaning to "Thanksgiving".

God's Idea of a Blessing

'The LORD bless you and keep you;

The LORD make His face shine on you,

And be gracious to you;

The LORD lift up His countenance on you,

And give you peace.'

Numbers 6:24-26

This beautiful benediction was spoken over the people of Israel by Aaron. Of particular interest is that the words were given by God Himself. The Lord wants to bless you, but His idea of blessing may be quite different from yours. He may not choose to give you material wealth, but would have you find your wealth in your relationship with Him. The Lord wants to keep you and give you His character. He wants to smile upon you and extend His grace to you. The Lord wants to lift His head and pay attention to you, and He wants to give you His peace. This is God's idea of a blessing over you. What a marvelous way for us to pray over ourselves and our families.