DAILY READING
REFLECTION
Blessings!
by Elaine Pierce
When you turn 75 years old, what are your plans? Do they include what Abraham did: leaving his country, his people and his father's household, and going to a new land? That is certainly not on my bucket list! God had plans to bless Abraham (yes, he was called Abram before God changed his name) and make him into a great nation. This pledge, this covenant, is unconditional:
I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. (Genesis 12:2-3; emphasis added).
Notice who is in charge of this covenant. It's God, not Abraham. And what are the results of this promise? The nation of Israel, God's chosen people, will be great, and they will in turn be a blessing. And, thanks be to God, all peoples on earth - which includes you and me - will be blessed as a result.
My retirement plans don't include leaving my family and my country to become the mother of a new nation. But this promise that God made to Abraham is also a promise to me. When am I a blessing to others? How can my life reflect one that brings glory to God through the way I live? We have so many opportunities to serve others. Take a look around, stop, listen, pray for direction, and God will show you how you can be a blessing.
Whether you are 7 or 75 or beyond, God has a plan for each of us. His covenant with Abraham is unconditional, and he fulfilled that covenant when he sent his son, his only son, to walk with us, to live with us, and to die and rise again. We have the Holy Spirit to guide us. Out of a heart of gratitude for how God has blessed you, take heart, and be a blessing to others.
PRAYER PRACTICE
Lord, you promised Abraham that you would make him a great nation and that you would bless him. We claim that promise, and we pray that we would bless others as you have blessed us. Help us to live lives that reflect you and bring others to faith and eternal life. Amen.
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