A Blessing Interupted...

Over the past few months, I've been focusing quite a bit of my attention on the power of blessing. Blessings are something we hear little about in contemporary Christianity, unless someone sneezes of course! But there is a long and rich history in the power of blessing and in my opinion, we're missing it!

Part of the difficulty of learning about blessings is that there isn't much written about it. A few books here and there, generally targeted at the parental blessing bestowed on the child, but not much by way of offering "spiritual" blessings. Of course, scripture mentions it periodically but not from a specifically instructional perspective, mostly exemplary. From what I understand thus far, to offer a blessing is to confer on someone or something the abundance of God's richness. While it is a biblical concept often missed among God's people today it is as deeply meaningful as prayer. A blessing can be profoundly influencial in the life on another individual. It is a righteous proclamation by a person in faithful relationship with God. It is a statement that is believed to be true by faith and carried with that person for a significant period of time (maybe for life -- as in the case of parent to child -- see Jacob and Esau for example).

One instance of blessing that has always provoked my curiousity is a blessing of Jesus upon his disciples. Jesus has led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifts up His hands and blesses them (Luke 24:50). What the content of the blessing is, we don't specifically know. The gospel of Luke (and Luke was a stickler for details) doesn't say. But we do learn something about the posture of blessing... Jesus has His hands in the air.

Now, perhaps that is where we've gone astray in the whole ministry of blessing? We don't typically feel comfortable raising our hands in contexts having to do with "spiritual" stuff. Now, we'll raise our hands at a ballgame to praise our team or at a concert to sway with the music... but lest I digress... The thing that I find fascinating about Jesus' blessing on His disciples in Luke 24 is that it is "interupted." Yeah, I know... Isn't that weird? A blessing interupted...

I wonder about how many blessed opportunities have passed me by? Not interupted for the same sake as this blessing on Jesus' disciples, but simply by my own ignorance. How many people before whom I stood have needed a spoken or otherwise experienced blessing from the Lord and I've failed to be available to work in the Lord's behalf in this regard? I'm concerned that the number might be significant.

Part of the problem is an issue of control. We always want to know the "net effect" or the "end result" of everything we do. It is that economic "return on investment" thing that keeps tripping us up. Isn't it reasonable to assume that we can merely intend to be a blessing and let the Lord take care of the distribution results?

This week, our Wednesday Night Spiritual Formation Group just delivered over 200 goodie bags to some people who serve downtrodden and marginalized people in our community. We didn't know who specifically would receive a goodie bag (yummy stuff like chocolate dipped cookies, chocolate dipped pretzels, candies and nuts) but each one had an affixed written blessing intended to affirm their work (ministry) and to encourage them -- brighenting their day -- and reminding them the service they provide is not in vain, but is close to the heart of Jesus. Some expressed concern that the "blessing bags" might fall into the hands of unbelievers or people who might not understand.

Why must we always do "cost analysis" of our service? Can't we just serve for the blessed sake of service and being a blessing? Even if the blessing is interupted, I'm convinced goodness will result. Jesus' blessing was interupted by His ascension into heaven. But Luke records that the disciples then "worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God."

Net effect? You decide.