Your True ReflectionMfano

You Are Blessed:
The Greek word for “bless” is εὐλογέω (eulogeō), which means to speak well of and praise.

This is the central theme of this entire word study. For some reason, God has decided to bless us with EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. What?!

Every means every—not the ones you earn, not a few gifts God metes out in different measure to different people—He has decided to give you EVERY spiritual blessing, thus blessing you and calling you blessed. A blessing is a gift that God has decided to bestow upon his adopted children—of whom you are one.

The word blessing is a big deal to God! He has even made it a lifestyle practice because, throughout time, He has called us to bless others in every way, just as He has blessed us in every way. I believe this stems from the great commandment found in the Gospels:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.” —Matthew 22:37-40 (NASB)

What this means for us today is that we are to not only love God but others.

The Greek word for “love” is ἀγάπη (agapéseis), which means to wish well to, take pleasure in, long for; it denotes the love of reason and esteem. It’s to thrive. God wants us to thrive. He has decided to bless you and me so that we may turn around and help our neighbor thrive.

God has spoken His blessing over you through the work of Jesus Christ.

When you consider your purpose, do you wonder why God would ever choose you? When you think about who you are, do you struggle to see yourself the way God sees you? The God of the universe knows you. He has chosen you to be His child. He has blessed you with every good thing that belongs to Him.

In the Old Testament, there was a tradition of speaking a blessing over the next generation. Fathers would often say a blessing over their oldest son, but this blessing was more than just a wish, it was a prayer for God’s favor on the life of the child. The blessing asked God for specific things in the life of the child. It served to guide and shape them as they sought to follow God. God’s covenant promises to Abraham carried with them the promise of His blessings. That covenant and those blessings were eventually fulfilled in Jesus Christ through the cross and resurrection.

When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit descended on Him, and the voice of God was heard, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). God the Father spoke His ultimate blessing over God the Son as Jesus began the work here on earth to save mankind. That work made a way for us to know our Creator and for Him to restore us as His children.

As a child of God, you share in the very same blessing spoken over Jesus by His Father. Because of Jesus, God speaks this blessing over us, saying, “This is my son. This is my daughter. I love you, and I am so pleased by all that you are.” You are completely accepted.

If you’re like many people, you know in your head that God loves you, but you feel like you are letting Him down much of the time. The truth is, when God looks at you—His child—He sees the price that was paid for you to be His. He sees you as pure and holy, washed clean, and made new by the blood of His Son, Jesus. He is so very pleased that you belong to Him.

Jesus Himself showed this when He blessed the children in Mark 10:16 (NASB), “And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.”