Would you like to know how to receive God’s blessing?
In my recent reading I made a discovery!
Each morning I walk out to our great room and look out the windows. Though we live “in” town we have a great view. The hill where we live quickly drops, it’s like living on a second floor, looking above our neighbors’ rooftops. A small mountain lies just beyond. I can barely see any houses on the mountain, even when the trees have dropped their leaves. But, early in the morning, when it is still dark, the mountainside is dotted with lamp light. It’s a comforting view.
Now, as the robins summon the dawn, my view out the window is glorious. Have you ever stopped to notice all the different colors in budding, blossoming, and leafing trees? This tapestry, though more subtle, is as colorful as Fall’s display and the texture is lacy and intricate. It is made even more dramatic by the sun rising over the mountain.
Sometimes I stand in front of the window for a long time. In the quietness I have a sense of my smallness and HIS largeness. This small thing helps me gain perspective for the day. More of HIM…less of me. It’s a small thing that sets the course for the day.
On this particular day I asked the Lord for a word of encouragement as I opened my Bible. Do you ever do that? Often I take a section of scripture and move slowly through it, chewing on it as I go. But, this morning I needed something more. My Bible fell open to Jeremiah. I’m not sure why, but God has often used passages there to speak to my heart in big ways. I read a few chapters and came to these verses…
7 But I will bless those
who trust me.
8 They will be like trees
growing beside a stream—
trees with roots that reach
down to the water,
and with leaves
that are always green.
They bear fruit every year
and are never worried
by a lack of rain.Jeremiah 17:7-8 Contemporary English Version
It was as if the words leaped off the page.
My Bible is a different translation than the one I shared above. It’s familiar to me, but often I like to look up different versions for easier understanding or enlightenment.
In my version, verse 5 begins: This is what the Lord says:
When I come across passages that say something like “this is what the Lord says,” I sit up and take notice.
Jeremiah goes on to talk about the person who believes in himself, the person who thinks he has everything under control and doesn’t need God. God says he is “cursed.”
Okay…I don’t know about you…but I have been guilty of that before. I’m a fixer. Need I say more? That is one slippery slope and I can go down it pretty quickly.
Here it is…how to receive God’s blessing.
And then, I arrived at verse 7…”But I will bless those who trust me.”
Each day we have a choice. We can decide to humble ourselves and see God for the Almighty powerful loving God He is. Or we can ‘handle’ things ourselves.
We can choose to be blessed or cursed.
I want blessing.
The only thing is….we need to make a conscious decision every day to trust God. Some days, I need to do this multiple times during the day. To trust and keep trusting. Trust and keep trusting.
What I love is that by doing so, I set roots in the stream (God). It (He) makes me strong. It (He) helps me to thrive….free from worries…no matter what. God has shown me that by living like this I will have a purposeful productive life that makes a difference. To trust God is to choose joy.
Isn’t that what we all want?
Meaningful, productive, joy-filled lives?
Today we have a choice. Trust God and receive His blessing…or be self-sufficient, empty, worthless, and empty.
I choose JOY!
It’s Joy Day!
The day when we take a look back on the past week and count gifts. The good and the not-so-good things.
When we take time to be thankful for it all…the good and the bad…we find joy.
Will you join me in this?
I’ll start:
I’m thankful for…
- this first year of blogging
- friends who pray
- the struggle
- the unknown
- discovering God provided an answer before there was ever a need, before a prayer was even offered
- sweet online friends who provided lovely gifts for the blogiversary giveaway
- sunshine – all. week. long!
Now it’s your turn!
Scroll down to ‘Share Your Thoughts’ below and share just ‘seven’ gifts from the past week. Your heart will be filled with joy. I dare you!! Want to push your joy envelope? Take the Joy Dare.
Is there something you do each morning that helps your day off to a good start?
When I asked the question, “Would you like to know how to receive God’s blessing?” Did you expect this to be your answer? Maybe not. Usually we think we have to do something to receive God’s blessing. He is much less interested in what we do and more interested in our connection to Him. The more we trust, the more connected we are to Him. Hmmmm…
Trusting in an Extraordinary God!
Diane
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1ST I love all your pictures of flowers! 2nd can you send me the Jeremiah verses of the man thinking he has everything under control. Seems it would answer question that came up in Sunday School this morning! thanks!
Glenda Kremer
Awww…..thank you Glenda! I had fun capturing their sweet faces and I’m thrilled that you are enjoying them. Blessings.
Watch your e-mail.
such a beautiful post Diane!
my verse 7 reads – But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. (NIV)
I love that I can have confidence in the Lord, never doubting what He says! We can have such peace knowing that and live a blessed life!
thank you so much for sharing the Word & these lovely photos!
Today I am standing on that promise, Maria!
May your week overflow with JOY!
Instead of listing my 7, I am parking on your list being thankful for the “unknown”. (I have control issues). Being thankful for the “unknown” will encourage me to be open to the next opportunity, reliant on God(I cannot control the unknown), and more willing to truly state “Thy Will be done”.
I think I need to add an ‘Amen’ to what you said, Gail. Today could have been another disappointing day, but I am choosing, continuously, to trust and thank Him. The unknown seems to grow larger and I am reminder that HE is larger. [hugs]
Yesterday during congretional singing during worship service, I decided I would be thankful all day, make it all week, no, make it all the month of May for the give of song! That will be my focus this lovely month w/Mother’s Day just ahead.
For last week, I’m thankful for:
A safe return home from a trip
That my husband could go on a ministry trip & I could go to a wonderful dentist who gave me a great report
For God’s protection & a lack of fear of being alone
For a good security system my husband got for us
For snow, even in May
For the robin nesting on my teacup wreath on wall of front porch! New live soon!
Be abundantly blessed, dear Diana! Thanks for making us remember to look for ways to express joy!
You go girl!! I love it Carolyn that you have decided to live a month in gratitude!! Your joy spills through the screen.
Thank you for taking time to share your ‘seven.’ 🙂 And the promise of new baby robins is truly a blessing!
Dear Dianne
This is so true! I remember the time when I was so tired of myself who was always worrying. So I decided to do just as our Lord told us. I would take the thing I worried about to Him and talk to Him about the matter. If I start to worry again, I would just give it back to Jesus. He has blessed me so much for I don’t often worry over things anymore.
Blessings from Laura’s
Mia
You know, Mia….it seems that we resist so much and doesn’t Jesus say that His yoke is easy?
Thank you for stopping by with your thoughtful remarks!
Hope your week overflows with JOY!
Trust…a real key to finding that joy. Beautiful words and images here. Thanks! (Your neighbor at Playdates today!)
Thank you for stopping by and leaving your thought words, Laura!
Wishing you an extraordinary week!
I can KNOW…and not do. *sigh* I’d suppose that’s me being the imperfect human that I am. I KNOW the difference in me and in my interactions with others…I KNOW the power of getting out of my own way and just trusting. Why I grab that attempt to control and rush the process….who wouldn’t want immediate results NOW. Oh but had I not wandered in the places I wandered, I would be LESS than all that I am today. TRUST is a choice, I’m reminded again and again. I can decide different as many times as I need to. (This for a gal that thought TRUST was something ‘earned’ and not simply a choice….and I had the bazillion excuses to choose not to trust.) Every morning I decide to trust Him and I surrender. And I do mean the surrender. But then, something happens or doesn’t happen. And there I go being human again! I’ll keep at it. I’m so very humbled by His patience with me.
And it has been abundant joy for me this past week:
* the sun won…and the snow lost. Woohoo!
* the wee one turned four and sang her birthday song for me
* the spouse is happily going to visit his far-away mum
* the sunrises have been phenomenal and humbling
* people I care about have been abundantly blessed and know it
* I weeded the flower garden when I thought I wouldn’t be able to.
* the patio swing…..is really ON the patio! 🙂
Ah….if only this choosing and letting go to trust was easier. It’s a constant tug or war all day long…or at least it is for me.
Today…I had to choose over and over and over again. If not I would be in a very bad place. I wonder if it pains Him or if it is his gentle discipline with us and patience. Hmm….
Oh my…your ‘seven’ are joyful. And I am overjoyed knowing that you have had these beautiful graces in abundance.
p.s. I weeded today too….and oh do I feel it. There are no exercises that even compare to the contortions I go through in gardening. 😉
Such beautiful images, Diane. And wonderful words of encouragement. I want the blessing too! Resolving with you to make that choice of trust.
Thanks Laura!
Sometimes we need to resolve to trust every five minutes.
I’m so glad He is patient and encouraging and faithful to help me trust and provide the wonderful blessing.
Hope your day overflows with JOY!
Joy Dare!
1. Your beautiful photos of such lovely flowers.
2. Learning new routines at tap class this morning.
3. Finding new focus in my writing.
4. A great time at a writing conference.
5. Two dear friends who have an agent/publisher who want to look at their work.
6. Returning home to my husband.
7. Learning from other bloggers.
I saw your add for Central Christian Church–I do believe we are fellow Wichitans!
Thanks for the lovely post and the joy dare.
Oh Nancy, I love the joy in your ‘voice’ today!! God is sooo good and we are so blessed.
I’m sorry to be the bearer of this….but Google reads cookies to pull up ads that would connect with us. I know…I have no control over that…glad it was something good. I’m way over in PA. 😉
What an extraordinary post! Just beautiful. I loved every word.
Yes yes and yes. I felt that joy and I feel that joy as I just came in from outdoors. And yes the colours in this spring time are different. The greens have shades of yellow. The whites stand out – the trilliums in the forest.
Your pictures are beautiful.
We have started a linky at Friday Foto Day at http://familyandfaithmatters.wordpress.com. I would love if you had time to link there with this post.
Thanks for linking at Sunday Stillness and hope you come back again and again.
Blessings,
I count the blessings with the Joy Dare.
Janis
I am humbled Janis….to God be the glory.
Thank you for your lovely and encouraging words.
May your day overflow with JOY!
I have been perusing your joy posts and have been very uplifted Diane. I so appreciate your prayers and am praying for you too. I do trust in the Lord, although, as I shared in my recent post, sometimes the enemy slips in and tries to steal my trust.
I am so glad God is in control, and not me. I am good at messing things up. He is so patient with me. I have no doubt God will hear and answer our prayers, and I get excited to see how he will do that! He is good!!
I am thankful for:
The birds returning and singing their hearts out
The cooing doves outside my window
Health
An offer from my dear friend for a paid redecorating job
my children who follow the Lord
The glorious sunshine these past few days
Hugs to you dear Diane 🙂
Deborah
I sent you an email Deborah. Isn’t it good how we can encourage each other in this lovely cyber world?
Thank you for your encouraging words. Yes…it is good to know God IS in control! 😉
Thank you for sharing your ‘seven.’ I’m celebrating with you for your decorating job. Yay God!
May your day overflow with JOY!
That is one of my favorite Bible passages! Your photos are beautiful as well.
It is a good one, Elizabeth. 🙂
Thank you for stopping by and leaving your kind words.
I’m absolutely struck by the endless beauty of His creation, Diane! And you’ve done a fabulous job capturing it in these shots!
Thank you Linda! I know you are like me when it comes to reveling in God’s awesome creation.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Because this is the day that He hath made, I choose to have joy. I am thankful for 1) HIS all encompassing love, 2) my family, 3) my job, 4) the new mercies that HE gives every morning – in spite of me, 5) the activity of my limbs, 6) HIS everlasting forgiveness, and 7) the ability to make friends and to interact with people across the world through blogging.
Have an amazing Mother’s Day!
God is so good, Trinity. Thank you for sharing your blessed ‘seven.’
May your day overflow with HIS JOY!
Oh my! This post ministered to me deeply. My theme for the year is to be fruitful — and here you are being used by the Holy Spirit to share with me on that same subject. So sweet! 🙂
It’s that what God would do, Lyli?
Thank you for your words that encouraged me more than you will ever know. 🙂
To God be the Glory!
Such a beautiful post…and all the images are lovely but the one with paired with the verse is gorgeous!
Thank you Marty!
Happy Mother’s Day!
I like this post – JOY DAY!! Your photos are wonderful. Bless you.
God deserves the praise, Karen!
Blessings!!