Blessings

Scripture invites me to surrender everything to God, a heavenly Father who delights in blessing all of His children.

Who wouldn't want blessings?

Naturally, all my senses unite their efforts in prompting me to quip:

"Where do I sign up?"

Just like that, I find myself enrolled in Surrender 101, emotionally singing,

"All to Jesus, I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence daily live . . ."

What a heart-stirring hymn!
What a blessing!

Perhaps, it was the melody or the harmony or . . . the Holy Spirit Himself . . . but my singing stopped as I slowly began to realize the clash existing between human and divine interpretations of the word 'blessing.'

By human standards, all too often items deemed pleasant are seen as divine blessings or rewards afforded by high spiritual performance whereas items deemed unpleasant are seen as consequences of subpar spiritual performance. 

You've heard the critics:

Bad grades.
"You must not have prayed hard enough."
Bigger salaries.
"God has blessed you tremendously, my friend."
Botched performances.
"You must not have relied on God's strength."
Benign tumors.
"God wouldn't give up on the health of a good person like you."

What does that even mean?

Does it mean that only A+ students are good prayer warriors?
Does it mean that my father's meager salary was an evident lack of divine blessings?
Does it mean that memory slips in a voice recital result from the singer's lack of surrender?
Does it mean that my cancer-stricken loved ones have been abandoned by the very God who promises never to leave nor forsake them?

Certainly, a God like that would be hard pressed to find worshipers.

However, the Father paints a completely different picture of Himself in Scripture. He is the God who delights in His children whether in want or plenty, in sickness or health, in sorrow or joy. 

In fact, His concept of 'blessing' takes the world upside down. In His sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenges all with ears to hear to think of 'blessing'  in a way that differs from that championed by human wisdom: 

-  It is not necessarily the rich but the poor in spirit who are blessed
-  It is not necessarily the cultured and the chic but the pure in heart who will see God
-  It is not necessarily the smug and the self-righteous but those who are persecuted because of righteousness who will inherit the kingdom of God
-  It is not necessarily the polite, close-mouthed, overly private, passive, tolerant, politically correct individual but the vibrant, imaginative, empowered, and radical person who is not ashamed to let their light and faith shine before mankind who will cause the unconverted to praise our Father in heaven
-  It is not necessarily the ones for whom everything is going well financially, emotionally, psychologically, relationally, and on every level but those who have been brought to a place of acute mourning and deep grieving who are blessed with the Lord's comfort

Job got it.

When pressed to curse God and die, he held on to his integrity and allegiance to God by reasoning, " . . . Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" (Job 2:10b, ESV) Job surrendered his heart, his body, his life, his all into the hands of God -- the Creator to whom Job later said, "You will call and I will answer You; You will long for the creature Your hands have made" (Job 14:15, NIV).

Now, THAT'S my God!

One who yearns and longs for me.
One who holds and sustains and protects me.
One whose dealings reveal His absolute best for me.

In my pain . . .
In my losses . . .
In my anguish . . .
In my heartaches . . .
In my earthquake . . .
In my tornadoes and tsunamis . . .

His grace is sufficient for me for His power is made perfect in weakness and brokenness.

Therefore . . .

I am blessed!

Because . . .

HE IS LORD!
HE IS LOVING!
HE IS ALTOGETHER GOOD!

So, I surrender to You, O my precious Jesus!