God Blesses

I had to turn my radio off. As I backed out of the driveway the preacher on the radio was talking about God. In a booming voice ideal for a preacher he proved that he could smash two stones together and get words to come out. His oration was great with lofty words that made me feel like God loved me and that God would fix everything. Then he said, “I am good and God blesses me.” I realized that was what was wrong with what I was hearing.


We should do good because of who God is. God doesn’t bless me though because he owes me for being good. I just finished reading the account of God demolishing Sodom. Right before he threw down judgment and wrath he had this bizarre conversation with himself. He asked himself if He should tell Abraham what He was about to do.

Why would God do that? His reasoning was that through Abraham the nations of the Earth would be blessed. Was Abraham going to make that happen? No, God was. Did Abraham call himself out of Ur? No, God did. God blessed because God chose to bless. Granted God would honor Abrahams’ faith and credit it to him but that also involved God’s choice of Abraham.

As I continue in my pursuit of God through Christ I see that it is much about God. It is little about me. God blesses and gives breath. God calls, I react. God sets the boundaries for my life, the people in it, the job opportunities and the wife I have. God created my child in the womb and allowed her to be unique in all her ways. God owes me nothing. It is that which helps me stay reliant and humble. As Paul said in Philippians may we have the same attitude in ourselves which was in Christ who emptied himself and took on the form of a bond-servant. We are blessed because God gave not because we deserve the gift.