Could You Use a Blessing Today?

We hear a sneeze and our knee-jerk reaction is to say “God bless you!” I did a little research and found this from the Library of Congress: “In Rome in the 590s, Pope Gregory summoned the people to join together to march in the streets, arm-in-arm, asking God for forgiveness and for an end to the bubonic plague that was ravaging their city. He asked priests to lead people from all seven regions of the city to the Basilica. Whenever anyone sneezed (which was a symptom of the plague), he asked that they immediately say, ‘God bless you!’ as a prayer to ward off the plague. Their prayers were finally answered and the plague ended.” Sounds like that’s something we should be saying to everyone we encounter during this 2020 “plague”.

So, can we be too casual with saying “God bless you”? The words bless, blessed, and blessing are found over 500 times in the Bible. Frankly, I can use as many blessings as I can get! Psalm 103:1 says “Bless the Lord, oh my soul, all that is within me, bless His holy name.” Psalm 103:1

Blessing is the projection of good into the life of another. It isn’t just words. It’s us willing the good of another person. It always involves God, because when we will the good of another person, we realize only God is capable of bringing that. So, we naturally say, “God bless you!”

Maybe you’re like me and you say “God bless you” at the end of letters or emails. And, for the kind comments from friends and family to my FB posts and blogs, I usually respond with “God bless you for your encouragement.” Earlier this year, for weeks before the pandemic, when we were having our ACTS team meetings, I endeavored to hug each gal when they came in the room. Well, we know how that worked out. And at the end of each meeting, I would speak Aaron’s blessing from Numbers 6:24-26 to them: “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Kari Jobe and her husband, Cody Carnes, put those words to such beautiful music. We can sing those blessing words right along with them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiko8DSRMZI

Those words are the desire of God’s heart for His people. He only wants the best for His children. His desire is to bless us.
The meaning of the word “Bless” is to make somebody or something holy. Just by accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we become holy under God’s umbrella of righteousness. He doesn’t measure His love for us by our actions or words. He doesn’t have a measuring stick that he pulls back when we mess up. We are in Jesus and that is who He sees when He looks at us.

So, here’s today’s action for us: Let’s open our arms and tell God we receive His blessings and favor! GOD BLESS YOU!