Today's Reading:
Luke 1:46-49
"For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden; for behold, from henceforth all
generations shall call me blessed" (v. 48; KJV)
The Amplified Bible describes "to be blessed" as being spiritually prosperous with life, joy and satisfaction in God's favour and salvation regardless of the outward conditions. The Scripture, in Matthew 5:3-11, records the blessedness pronounced by Jesus during His sermon on the Mount, which is generally called the "Beatitudes" or the "beautiful attitudes ". An attitude is a settled way of thinking or feeling about something, that has to do with a person's behaviour. In His teaching/sermon to the multitude on the mountain, Jesus listed a good number of attitudes, which He said if a person has, he or she will be blessed. These are: being poor in spirit (total surrender to God's will), mourn (for one's wrongdoing), meekness, hunger, and thirst for righteousness, pure in heart, merciful, peacemaker, persecuted for righteousness sake, reviled, persecuted, and accused of all manner of evil falsely for his sake.
Furthermore, apart from being blessed, Jesus pronounced for each of the attitudes, benefits which include ownership of the kingdom of heaven, comfort, inheritance of the earth, being filled, obtaining mercy, seen as and being called the children of God. Above all, the person who exhibits these attitudes is encouraged to rejoice, be exceedingly glad, because his/her reward is great in heaven.
Aside from the foregoing, the evidence of being blessed by God is exemplified by Mary, the mother of Jesus, in our Today’s reading, which she recounted in verses 49-54. These include her knowing that: great things were done to her by God, and that mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation, with a show of strength He had scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts, put down the mighty, but exalted the lowly, filled the hungry with good things, but the rich sent away empty and had helped his servant (the children of Israel).
In summary, it is evident and great to be blessed, being spiritually, physically, and secularly prosperous with life, joy and satisfaction in God's favour and being happy. Now that you are aware of the benefits of being blessed, the question then arises - how does one become blessed or attract blessing? Borrowing from the experience of Mary, her soul magnified the Lord (v. 46) and her spirit rejoiced in the God of her salvation (v. 47). Also, she acknowledged and recounted the goodness of God towards her. She was lowly (humble ) of heart. Above all, she was obedient to God's laws and statutes, especially those of obedience and purity. These formed the basis of her choice as the mother of the Savior of mankind - Jesus. She was a virgin, through whom the incarnate God came to the world in flesh.
No wonder, Mary declared in V48b that thereafter, all generations shall call her blessed. We too can be blessed if we learn how to and key into God's unfailing word. This generation and those yet to come can call us blessed.
CHRISTIE KUPOLUYI
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you taught and are teaching us your desire for us to be blessed, thank you, Lord, in Jesus name.
Lord, open our hearts and desire to walk with you so we can be blessed, in Jesus name.
Father, as Mary was blessed from generation to generation, we covet the same, in Jesus name.
Father, lead Your Church to walk with you so that it will be blessed from generation to generation, in Jesus name.
Lord, help our generation to walk with you, and so attract blessings from generation to generation, in Jesus name.
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