God Is At the Center of All Blessings

"Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life's problems fall into place of their own accord."  - J.I. Packer

When we give a gift to someone it leaves us with a warm, special feeling on the inside. There's something about seeing happiness in the other person that makes it all worthwhile. And although the gesture could be reciprocal between individuals depending on the situation, say, at Christmas time for example, it doesn't have to be.

Now, let's turn this discussion up a notch or two. We receive many blessings from God. These are given freely and without any expectations of reciprocity, whatsoever. Besides, what could we possibly gift God with anyway? That's just the wondrous, and loving way He works. But as great as it all sounds, sometimes a problem arises from this. Not God's problem...ours!

Being who and what we are, it's not that difficult for us to find ourselves being dazzled by presents, or gifts. This is usually not a problem. Admittedly, when it comes to receiving a gift from a friend or relative can be a pleasant surprise. But God's gifts (i.e., blessings) are a little bit different. His blessings are not only benevolent, they are heavenly (James 1:17 ).

As I mentioned above, problems can and do arise regarding these blessings from God. Not from the blessings themselves, of course, but from the distraction they may cause. All of our focus, every ounce of it, should be on God. Unfortunately, many times we focus too much solely on the blessings and not the source.

For instance, let's take the gift of salvation. We are saved not because salvation was given to us in a brightly, wrapped box like a birthday present, but because of His grace and mercy (Ephesians 2:8-9). God's blessings are wonderful, but they alone will not save us. Too many focus all their attention on the gift box and not on Him; the one who gifted us with it (Ephesians 1:3).

Additionally, we sometimes get ideas in our heads about what an ideal Christian should look like. But these thoughts can also blur or muddle our focus on God. Where's the salvation in this line of thinking? We make it far more complex than it needs to be. Our attention should be on God, and God only (Isaiah 26:3).

Of course, when life takes an ugly turn it's easy to turn to God. That's only natural. But don't make that the only time you give Him a thought. We are saved through Him, and not through all the gifts, or blessings.

In closing, we should be grateful for all of the blessings that we receive from God. Our Heavenly Father is very generous and loving. However, let's not let the blessing themselves take the center spotlight for our salvation. Make God the focal point in your life. Through Him alone are we saved (Acts 4:12)!

Scripture: Jeremiah 17:7; Luke 11:28; Isaiah 41:13; 2 Corinthians 5:5; Jude 1:24

Prayer: Dear Lord, may You always fill me with the joy and peace of believing in You. Amen

Have a blessed Monday!

Hailey