Today's Word of Encouragement

A Double Blessing

April 22, 2020

A DOUBLE BLESSING

Friday, April 17, 2020

     “. . . and I will bless you . . . and so you shall be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2).

     William Shakespeare wrote (Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 3), “A double blessing is a double grace. Occasion smiles upon a second leave.” Laertes, a young lord about to leave for Paris, gives his sister, Ophelia, some parting words of warning. As he is telling her goodbye, their father, Polonius, enters the scene and says. “A double blessing is a double grace. Occasion smiles upon a second leave.” In those days grace meant ‘the blessing or favor of God’. What he meant by the statement is, “Laertes, your are doubly blessed with an extra measure of God’s favor from both me and your sister.’ What a blessing it is to be able to leave family and friends with their blessing!

     In the Scripture passage above, God spoke to Abram and told him to leave his country (Ur of the Chaldeans), leave his family, and go where God leads him. God assured Abram of a double blessing – I will bless you, and you shall be a blessing (to others). Abram didn’t know where he was going, but he knew who was leading the way. He didn’t know what dangers lay out in the unknown territories, but he knew God would protect him. He didn’t know how he was going to provide for himself or for those who traveled with him, but he knew God would provide. God never leads us anywhere that He doesn’t provide for us in the going.

     Herbert Lockyer wrote, “Unless ours is the continual dew of heaven’s blessing, we cannot be a blessing to earth’s needy.” In other words, God cannot bless and use us above the level of our own spiritual experience. By His grace He saves us, molds and shapes us into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ, and equips us for service in His kingdom. He gives us everything we need to live for Him and to minister to others on behalf of Him.

     By being blessed of God, we are a blessing to others. Our words of encouragement, our care and concern, our intercessory prayers, our wise counsel, and our physical, emotional, and spiritual support flow to others during the time of crisis or need. Ours, then, is a double grace of receiving and serving.

Make me a channel of blessing today,

Make me a channel of blessing, I pray.

My life possessing, my service blessing,

  Make me a channel of blessing today. (Harper G. Smyth)

Pastor Martin

Click the logo to sign up for email from our church

 

Share this with your friends