The Power of Blessing

My sermon this coming Sunday will be about blessing and the effect on us individually and communally. I've been working through the book, "Leading Causes of Life" by Gunderson and Pray, and have come to this leading cause. I think that blessings are, for the most part, overlooked nowadays. In the past, receiving a blessing from a father or father figure was an important part of the maturation process. Blessings, in some cases, determined what one would do in life - or what one would have to work with (think of Isaac's blessing of Jacob). We don't see blessings in the same way now - in fact, many people are not even aware of how blessed (how graced) they are. My wife has been traveling for business in Indonesia and India on two separate trips over the last 3 months. The disparity in standard of living, the crowded conditions, the lack of comfort and the feeling of insecurity were almost constant companions. Coming up hard against the social injustices of different cultures calls many ideas and ideals into question. Yet, she marvels at the humor and joy, at the ability to share, at the sheer delight in living that she has also experienced. Some blessings are hard, and some are difficult to understand, yet all are powerful and transformative. Blessings come in many shapes and sizes, and some take years to realize. The power of blessing lies in its ability to transform us and our life narrative. Difficult times, challenging people or situations, poor choices, unforeseen tragedy all carry with them the seed of blessing. Our ability to live into each situation, some times just day-to-day, yields a treasure trove of experience and wisdom. It is often difficult if not impossible to see blessing within challenging situations (I'm in one right now). It takes faith to know that all things come to an end and that we will ultimately come out the other side of the issue. A dear friend is still struggling with her experiences of 10 years ago. She is still wrestling with God on this and hasn't yet come to the place of asking for the blessing in the situation (think again of Jacob). However, she is closer to the dawn than she ever has been, and though she still struggles with the meaning for her, she doesn't doubt that there is a blessing hidden in the experience. So this week, take a look at your life and note your blessings. Also note the places that you struggle, and spend time discerning about how that experiencing is blessing your life and the lives of those around you. Peace for the journey, Dan