What does a blessing mean to you? Is being blessed by someone a big deal to you? Do you bless others? Do you believe blessing someone can be powerful? Do you know blessing someone is a form of prayer?
We do not practice blessing others much anymore. There was a time when blessing someone was quite significant. We see a variety of situations in the Bible in which one person blesses another. The belief was that by blessing someone you not only gave them your blessing but called down God’s blessing on them as well.
There are examples of fathers blessing their eldest or favored son, such as Isaac blessing Jacob. There is a call to bless those who are sick by praying over them and anointing them with oil (James 5:14). A blessing typically included laying hands on the person to bless.
We may have seen someone being blessed by the laying on of hands and being prayed over in church. It certainly happens when someone is ordained or commissioned as a missionary. Again, the belief is that we call God’s blessing onto the person. It is a type of prayer since we cannot command God but ask God to pour out his blessing on the person. Perhaps we should bless people more often.
I pray we all believe that blessings are powerful. I pray we lay hands on people and call God to bless them. I pray each one of us will look for ways to bless our brothers and sisters in Christ, calling on God to show his amazing power to save all of us. Bless someone today. Ask God to bless someone. Ask God to save someone. Know that God can save.
Psalm 20:1-2
The LORD answer you in the day of trouble!
The name of the God of Jacob protect you!
May he send you help from the sanctuary,
and give you support from Zion.
Marty Pressey 