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Daily Devotional

Count Your Blessings

December 11, 2018 - 12:00 am

This Devotional's Hebrew Word


(Storm)

Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble. The Lord protects and preserves them— they are counted among the blessed in the land— he does not give them over to the desire of their foes. — Psalm 41:1–2

One of the founding principles of The Fellowship is God’s eternal promise He made to Abraham in Genesis 12:3, “I will bless those who bless you.” This is one of 18 devotions exploring the concept of blessing, barak, which means, “to increase,” or “bring down Divine abundance.” To learn more, download our complimentary copy of Rabbi Eckstein’s teachings on being a blessing to others.

The Bible is filled with countless verses about blessings and curses — blessings for obedience, and curses for disobedience. We all desire God’s blessings; yet often times, we focus on material blessings — a surprise check in the mail, a bigger house, perhaps a nicer car.

Of course, God may choose to bless us in this way. But His blessings may also come to us in healing, in the peace that passes all understanding, in community among believers, forgiveness, mercy, companionship, love, and everlasting salvation. Truly, God’s blessings are vast, at times even surprising, and nearly always undeserved!

In Psalm 41, David wrote about those who cared for the weak: “Blessed is he who has regard for the weak.” As God cares for the weak, oppressed, and vulnerable, He delights when we demonstrate concern for them, too. When God’s concerns become our concerns, He promises to bless us. It is this tenet expressed in God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3, “I will bless those who bless you,” that is the very foundation of The Fellowship’s work and mission.

Those blessings, according to Psalm 41, may take many forms. Namely, that the Lord “delivers;” the Lord “will protect and preserve his life;” the Lord “will bless him;” and “not surrender him” to enemies. These promises resonate with those found in God’s list of blessings for obedience found in Deuteronomy 28:1–14. God promises, “All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God” (28:2).

As we strive to live in obedience to God and care about the things God cares about, such as loving others, especially the weak, then God will cause His blessings to fill our lives. There’s no telling how or when He may respond with blessings in our lives, but He will.

We can be sure that God notices our obedience. Even if it does not seem like we have many blessings — even if life seems difficult at the moment — God has not forgotten us. Sometimes we may need to focus on the many blessings He has already bestowed on us.

It may simply be a matter of counting our blessings to know that we, indeed, are “counted among the blessed in the land” (v.2).

Download Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein’s inspirational booklet, Building Bridges of Blessings, to learn how you can be a blessing to others.

     

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