Bless Me

            I listened to a teaching on prayer that spoke of people always asking God to bless what they had planned.  I agree with most of the statements made, but it started me thinking about what I really am requesting when I ask for God’s blessing.  I think there was a time when my prayers could have been translated “I’ve planned this and worked hard to prepare it, so God, I need you to make it successful.”  or “I’ve thought about this and I think this is the best course of action, God, make it happen.”  You get my drift.  God bless what I want, how I want it, by making it work well and removing resistance and obstacles.  Then we say “Amen” or “Okay, I’m done now, I’m going.”

            Life has a way of changing our opinions of ourselves.  I feel a much greater need to pray for wisdom at the onset of any quest or change these days.  I also feel a great need to listen for guidance and expect God to speak.  I frequently request interference in my plans and relationships.  I can recall the very first time I prayed that and the extreme answer that came very quickly –not what I really wanted, but what I needed for sure.  I also ask God to remind me when I’m ‘doing it again’ and to scream when I get so busy that I don’t hear.  You know, he knows when I’m serious and he really does do that.  They are not the sweetest prayers, but perhaps they are the most important and the most revealing of God’s love and care for me.

            I don’t pray about the color of my socks that day or about what time I should arise and what I should eat for breakfast or what type of coffee to brew.  God gave me a brain for that stuff.  But I’ve actually heard him instruct me in similar matters when it was an issue.  I try to listen more and question less when those exceptions occur, believing that his love will never lead me wrong.  I seldom pray “Bless me as I dress this morning.”

            As pointed out by the teacher, God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus.  God blesses those whose minds are fixed on him.  There are many scriptures that speak of our blessings as a fixed part of a healthy relationship to God that we do not have to obtain through petition.  So what am I asking for when I request His ‘blessing?’  Should I continue to pray that way?

            It can become a picky game of semantics and though I like preciseness and intelligence, I don’t believe that God is that hard to approach.  I think when his child approaches with a need, he looks through misstated requests to the heart and intent.  So that once the heart is aligned, he is not put off by a poor choice of words.  God is not small and petty in his relationship to his beloved and that is what he calls us who are in Christ Jesus.

            When I ask for his blessing on a trip, I have already talked to him and listened for his reply.  I’ve been asking for guidance and provision.  So the ‘blessing’ is for safety from interference from the enemy, from my own human error and the error of others.  I pray ‘blessing’ for accomplishment of the purpose of the trip without interference from anyone but the Father himself.  I’m asking him to make me a safe and courteous driver who doesn’t distract or endanger others on the road.

            Similarly when I ask him to bless my studio on a day, I have already heard his directive and accepted his goodness and purpose in the creation and continuing of my studio.  That is in place.  Periodically, I question him on how, what and when and try to be attuned to his answer.  So my prayer for ‘blessing’ on my studio is for myself to be attuned to others and the Holy Spirit so that I can serve well and leave a worthy testimony in the hearts of those I teach.  Sometimes when I feel overwhelmed, ‘blessing’ is a supernatural calm and clarity to be able to do the task ahead.  And yet I understand that the ‘blessing’ of God may take me where I never dreamed I would go.  While my human criteria for earnings may not be realized, I see that the blessing of God makes one ‘rich’ and adds no sorrow.  What I am asking God for is interference in what I think should be so that I may be part of his glorious plan.  That is my ‘blessing.’

            A side note is that there are many definitions of the word ‘rich’.  Monetary wealth is not my most desired.  Abundantly supplied with resources, high quality, or sustained value is, in the long run, a much more appealing definition.

            By the same token, what am I asking for when I ask God to bless my family members and my home?  I’m asking for his divine strength to accomplish what we know is right when my strength would fail and for his divine intervention for the places we do not know or understand.  Knowing how busy and noisy we are, it is asking him to scream out and to alter courses for eternal good.  I’m not saying I don’t pray for specifics.  I do all the time and yet there is the knowledge that God loves me and them so much that he may not give what I am mistaken about.  I am learning to trust and so I ask for his blessing to enrich without added sorrow as his promise states.

            I have heard many pray “Whatever it takes, God. . .”  And I admit there was a time when I prayed such prayers.  Then I saw “whatever it takes” at work -at least I thought I did.  It is not that I don’t pray for change, but I would rather have the blessing of God.  The Bible says “The blessing of God is a curse to his enemies.”  I know that God loves people and wants their salvation –all of them.  I also see that not all will want that.  But I believe evil is overcome with the blessing of God.  So when I see a friend or family member headed for rough water, I pray “God save them” and trust the how to a merciful, loving God and try to stay out of his way.  Redemption from the plan of the enemy is, after all, the greatest blessing of this life.

            I will continue to say “Bless me”  “Bless my day”  “Bless my studio” and so on, knowing that in the answer, these will then be a blessing to others and will rise and bless the Lord as well.  Amen: so be it according to your will.