Expecting Blessings

June 25, 2015

It is easy to look over someone else’s shoulder and see the ways other people have been blessed. A new car, a great house, a new baby, a good paying job, a great spouse, new things, money, leisure, a healthy church, answered prayer, a dream come true…you name it, the blessings are obvious. Some people seem to expect God to bless them.

As I remember the Israelites it seems like they expected the opposite. Although the Promised Land was promised to the Israelites, they wandered around for years complaining and rebelling. I wonder how things might have been different if they would have realized the blessings that God provided. What if they realized God was protecting them, providing for them, speaking to them and preparing them to reach the promised land? Just imagine how much sooner they would have reached their destination if they would have never rebelled or complained. The journey was not a far distance on the map, but their sin resulted in years of wandering.

How can we be blessed, know we are blessed and be thankful for our blessings?

1. Remember – If we remember what God has done in the past it will strengthen our faith for the future.

2. Report – If we report what He has already done, by telling others about it, it will give hope to those who don’t know Him or feel distant.

3. Record – If we record what He has done by writing it down, we will pass it on to the next generation. What a priceless gift!

Then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry land’; for the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over. Joshua 4:22-23

If you feel like you are wandering in the desert, and life seems unbearable, consider remembering what God has done in the past. Report a current blessing to a friend. Record the ways God has pulled you through days gone by. Sickness, hard times, job loss, strained relationships and heartaches can quickly overshadow miracles and blessings of the past.