Blessing the Blessed

01.11.13

Psalm 4.6-7 6 Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?” Let the light of your face shine on us. 7 Fill my heart with joy when their grain and new wine abound. (NIV)

In Genesis 28, Isaac decided it was time for him to pass along the blessing of all of who he was and all of what he had to his firstborn, Esau. Like Abraham before him, Isaac loved his firstborn son but the firstborn of both men wasn’t God’s choice.

In the early days of Rebekah’s pregnancy it says: The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.  The Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” (Genesis 25.22-23 NIV) God had, before the world was ever formed, decided who was going to be the stronger and more blessed of Isaac’s two sons – we can never forget that.

And so through a series of events and deceptions Esau’s brother Jacob, obtains not only the birthright from Esau, but the paternal blessing from Isaac his father as well. Esau is left with nothing. There is far more to the story but a quick reading of Genesis 25, 27 & 28 will bring much to light about this somewhat dysfunctional family.

From the earliest days of mankind, there has been a human infatuation with blessing. In the earliest days of Scripture the chosen of God have been blessed and those who bless them have been blessed. And alternately, those who’ve cursed the blessed of God have been cursed. Don’t know why, just know that it is. Man has sought blessing from his earliest days because he’s recognized that blessing is the preferred option between that and cursed. So when David seeks the Lord and asks, Lord, who will bring us prosperity? He isn’t asking this lightly. Most everyone on earth understands blessing.

Like it or not, understand it or not; accept it or not, all blessing comes from God. Period. Jacob’s means of obtaining his blessing may have been deceitful but God had already made His choice of who would be blessed and who wouldn’t. And the was, was and the wasn't, wasn’t.

And so, when David prays in Psalm 4, Who will bring us prosperity? he was asking God to bless people: any people; all people. Blessing comes from God and is upon those who accept God’s authority in their lives. And a blessed people are a source of joy because when a people are blessed, everybody’s happy… especially those who believe in God’s blessing. Blessing is the choice of God – we can’t earn it, He only gives it, because He is who He is. God chooses whom He’s going to bless long before they’re ever born and we have to accept that – no matter how fair or unfair it may appear to us. God does the blessing

Father, I ask that You bless those who bless You. I pray to quit being jealous of Your blessing and to rejoice that You so abundantly bless those who bless Your people. And I pray that I would be a blessing to others and in return, be blessed. Thank You that You want to bless; You desire to bless. And though our choice may not be Your choice we are blessed because You choose. I’m grateful for that!