How Can I Bless You?

"God bless you." we say when someone sneezes. Or, as my brother-in-law insists, "MGBY" = "May God Bless You." He doesn't think it proper for us to insist that the Lord bless someone, but to ask with good manners. The irony there is, does reducing a statement to "text talk" still make it good manners??

My pastor's end of the year sermon left me with the question in my heart and mind... "How can I bless the Lord with my life?" What can I do to make sure that how I conduct myself is pleasing to the Lord? Is this something that we think about on a regular basis? Every day? Morning and evening? That's pretty dedicated. I don't know if I am strong enough or devout enough to be on my game at all times. I am flawed. Human. Sinful. Busy. All these things get in the way of being holy... the ultimate goal of a Christian... to be like Christ... Holy.

To put it into simple perspective my pastor gave an example of exercise or ice cream. I'm going to take this example in a different direction. How often does our mind tell us "the right thing to do is exercise" to stay healthy and energetic? But we are so tired, worn out, zapped, all we want to do at the end of the day is plunk down in front of the TV with a dish of ice cream. That makes us feel better at the moment. Right? I do it. In fact I just bought my childhood favorite, Peppermint Stick - I haven't seen it in the store for a really long time - I had to get it. The pure white ice cream with the little bits of pink and green peppermint candy mixed in. I've been savoring a scoop of that for three nights in a row.

Now, what makes us feel better in the long run? Ice cream or exercise? We all know the answer is exercise. Ice cream is the immediate gratification feel good. Exercise is the long term. Which is easier? Ice cream, of course. But which makes us feel better overall? Which gives us benefits that last? Exercise.

Benefits that last.... hmmm? Now I'll take you into the "Deep" that is promised by the name of my blog. So, if our goal as a Christ follower is to be holy, how does a flawed, undisciplined, ice cream eating human like myself even begin this pursuit? I suppose we could ask, in prayer, daily - in the morning - before our day even starts - "Lord, how can I bless You with my life today? Please, guide me and show me the way. Amen." And then at the end of the day, in the evening, we could reflect on how our day played out and pray, "Reveal to me, Lord, what you considered a blessing in my efforts today. Thank you for letting me serve you with my life this day. Amen."

In the next verse of thanks in the Bible, it speaks of the life work of the Levites.

"They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening" 1 Chronicles 23:30

The theme of praising the Lord morning and evening is also reinforced for the Levites' work in the following verse:

"Those who were musicians, heads of Levite families, stayed in the rooms of the temple and were exempt from other duties because they were responsible for the work day and night." 1 Chronicles 9:33

This was their duty, assigned by God himself and then overseen by those such as Moses, King David and his descendants, to thank and praise the Lord. Through a bit of research I found that the word praise is linked to playing instruments and singing. I also found that when referring to night, they are actually continuing this praise through the night... so at all hours of the day God was being praised by those born into this high calling. The Levites were blessing the Lord with their work day and night, morning and evening.

Things have changed dramatically in our worship (our praise and thanks) to our God since these old testament times. He is a good and gracious God and certainly does not expect us to go without sleep to continue our praise throughout the night. But He does want to hear from us regularly. He wants our continued reliance on His strength, power, and provision of peace, love and grace. He wants us to keep Him in our consciousness throughout our day - and by doing this He promises to guide us in our thoughts, words and actions and he promises us, for our efforts and our faith in His Son, benefits that will last.

"And this is what he promised us - even eternal life." 1 John 2:25

"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." 1 John 5:13

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

I'm not giving up ice cream, and I don't think that God wants me to. But I am going to try to be more aware of His presence, of others, of circumstances - - and how He wants me to contribute to make it a little bit better with His help. That's how I can bless Him, and He tells me in His Word that He created me that way and prepared these jobs for me in advance. The challenge for me is, can I take the focus off of myself long enough to see these blessings and then do my part?

Lord, As a new year begins, we come to You and ask for Your blessing.
We pray that you would give us joy to fill our days, peace to fill our hearts, and love to fill our lives.
Thank You for the plans You have for us in this new year.
We wait in anticipation to see all You will do!

Thanking God for you and praying your new year is blessed in every way.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 

"And be thankful." Colossians 3:15b