Because I had shown my son the socks in a holiday flyer put out by our local drugstore, I decided to see if they had any more available, and purchased two additional pairs to have on hand when I need to be reminded how blessed I am. Actually, I don't need much of a reminder. All I have to do is take a quick evaluation of my life and the blessings are abundantly there to count.
As I'm counting, I find myself looking around and seeing so many others who are less fortunate and wonder, "Who am I to be so blessed? What did I do to deserve so much when others have little?" To these questions I have no answers. Instead, a prayer of thankfulness seems to be the only appropriate response.
Looking back on my life, some blessings have come from choices I've made, but the majority of them were simply plopped in my lap by a Sovereign God who reigns over us all. In Acts 17:26 we find the following exposition from Paul to the men of Athens:
"From one man God made every nation of men,
that they should inhabit the whole earth;
And He determined the times set for them
and the exact places where they should live."
In essence, Paul was telling the people it wasn't just "happenstance" they were living in the time period they were, and furthermore, even the exact places they were living had been determined by God long before when He set into motion His plan for the human race. It can be mind boggling to think of all the people who have walked this earth, and yet, according to this verse, God had each one in mind from the beginning, and going back to the King James Version, "exact places" becomes "bounds of habitation".
It takes looking at the next verse to figure out what God's purposes were in doing this. In verse 27 we read:
"God did this so that men would seek Him
and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him,
though He is not far from each one of us."
At the top of my blessings list would be the fact I was born into a Christian home and surrounded by people who modeled a positive lifestyle for me. Although each of us is given free will to choose, it certainly helps to be encouraged to walk the "straight and narrow" from an early age. As far back as I can remember I have had the assurance of "Jesus Loves Me" ringing in my soul, and have made an effort to pass the same message on to my children, grandchildren and all who God brings across my path.
How about you? Are you walking a road of blessings today, or is life more of a struggle? As I said, I have no understanding of how the blessing basket is being distributed. I only know God's desire is for each of us to reach out and find Him. A poem comes to mind, one written by Annie Johnson Flint:
God hath not promised skies always blue
Flower strewn pathways, all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.
God hath not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptations, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.
God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain, rocky and steep,
Never a river turbid and deep.
But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labour, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing kindness, undying love.
Thankfully, one of God's greatest blessings is the promise of a time to come where problems simply will not exist. All the wrongs will be righted and evil will no longer have power to rule over us. If your blessings list seems to be lacking at the present time, cling to this promise and know as you draw near to God, He will draw near to you! (James 4:8) For now, there will be an enemy trying to block the way, but remember, "Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4) and in the end, those on God's side will reign victorious!
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