Cover to Cover: The Story of the Bible Part ISample

Genesis Part 2: Blessed to Be a Blessing

The first part of the book of Genesis tells how God created a perfect world and how the first humans he made then corrupted this creation. Their act of rebellion brought sin into the world, and sin means brokenness—brokenness in humanity’s relationship with God, in their relationships with one another, and in the physical world. But Genesis also tells us that God has a plan to restore his world and to reconcile his relationship with humanity.

God begins to work out this plan through a man named Abraham. God says he is going to bless Abraham by giving him land and descendants that will grow into a great nation. This nation will be God’s people, receiving all the blessings that come from knowing God and living in his presence. But God doesn’t just bless Abraham for his own personal gain; he blesses Abraham and his descendants so that they may be a blessing. “In you all the families of the earth will be blessed,” God says.

God is going to use Abraham’s family to restore his relationship with humanity and to bring people all over the world to faith in Him, which is the ultimate blessing! God is calling Abraham’s family to live as vessels, letting God’s blessing flow through them so that other people might be drawn to God in response.

But throughout the rest of the book of Genesis, we see that God’s people fail in this task. Often selfish and unloving, God’s people do not carry God’s blessing to the World. This part of the story leaves us wondering, “Is God’s plan compromised? Have his purposes failed?” But the truth is, God never intended for imperfect humans to be the ones to bring blessing and restoration to the world. Only God himself could satisfy this role.

God fulfilled his promise to Abraham many years later by sending Jesus as a descendant in the line of Abraham’s family. Jesus became the way through which people all over the world could receive salvation by faith in him and receive true blessing. In Christ, there is abundant life, eternal life. There is healing from the destruction of sin. In him are things like real peace, true joy, and lasting satisfaction.

And this story is not over! Here’s where our role comes in. While Jesus fulfilled the promise to Abraham, God is still not done bringing salvation to people all over the world. Today, Jesus empowers his followers to live as vessels, bringing God’s love and life to others that they might be drawn to him.

Think about the blessings God has given you: the physical, material things he’s provided; the personality traits and giftings God has given you; and most importantly, the gift of abundant life in Christ. With these in mind, what would it mean for your life to be a blessing to others?

To see your money, not just for what it can get you, but for what it could do for other people?

To view your intelligence or social skills not just as means to get you places but to bring goodness into your community?

To see the peace and joy you receive from your relationship with Christ, not just as an enjoyable personal experience, but as fuel to go out and love others?

A calling has been placed on your life: to bless people with the blessings God has given you that you might point them toward the ultimate blessing: Christ himself.

RESPOND: Take a moment to surrender yourself to God, offering your life as a vessel for God’s blessings.