What does it mean to be blessed? Are blessings something that are for us, or is there a larger purpose for blessings?
To explore these questions we look at the call of Abram (who is later called Abraham) in Genesis 12:1-7. Abram's call reminds us that obedience trumps wordiness, grace is how God operates, and our blessings are not about us.
The promise to Abram also raises thorny questions about the relationship of Biblical promises to contemporary political questions in Israel and Palestine. To address those from a Christian point of view, we welcome a reflection from a retired history professor who specializes in Middle Eastern and African history, who is also a United Methodist.
Finally, we welcome a member of our church (and staff) who has a powerful story of being blessed by someone else's blessing.
Bottom line: God sends and blesses us to serve and benefit others.
