How has God blessed you? Most people only think of physical blessings like health, or financial blessings like a job, or material blessings like a new house, or social blessings like one’s family, etc. In Ephesians 1:3, we are assured that God “…has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places”. We may not be counting most of our blessings in Christ that are deposited for us in a safe place in Heaven. These are spiritual blessings!
Johnson Oatman, Jr., who wrote the lyrics to the old hymn, Count Your Blessings, was born in New Jersey in 1856 and spent most of his childhood growing up during the Civil War and the subsequent difficult season known as the reconstruction. Oatman said that he learned to sing praises to the Lord with his dad during the lean years of his life.
The writer of the book of Hebrews closes his letter to a group of pressured and persecuted believers with a meaningful benediction. When I read Hebrews 13:20-21 it makes me gratefully ponder the blessings that I have been given in Christ.
So, let’s follow Oatman’s counsel in his song, using this text as our guide and offer to the Lord our thanks as we count our blessings, naming them one by one.
Thanking the Lord for Peace through Christ
“Now the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep…”
Thanking the Lord for Pardon (or Propitiation) in Christ
“…by the blood of the eternal covenant”
Thanking the Lord for Provision through Christ
“equip you with every good thing that you may do His will…”
Thanking the Lord for Power through Christ
“….working in us that which is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ…”
Thanking the Lord along with Praise to Christ
“…to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Growing in Grace Devotions and Inspirations
Hosted by Pastor Victor Morrison
First Baptist Church 1700 Milam Street Columbus, TX, USA 78934
http://fbccolumbustx.org/
