What is a Blessing?

What is a Blessing?

2014-08-16 16:57:31

What is a blessing anyway?

DEFINITION OF BLESSING
BLESSING is defined here:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Blessing?s=t

And here:
http://www.studylight.org/dictionary/ved/view.cgi?n=306

THESAURUS AND BLESSING
http://thesaurus.com/browse/blessing

Blessing is to offer favor, to offer grace, to show approval, beauty, and an asset.

A blessing is mentioned in the Bible in these verses:
https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=Blessing&qs_version=HCSB

Ephesians 1:3-6 The Message (MSG)
3-6 How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

James 1:17 Expanded Bible (EXB)
17 Every good ·action [or act of giving] and every perfect gift ·is from God [L comes from above]. These good gifts come down from the ·Creator of the sun, moon, and stars [L the father of lights; C referring to God's creation of the heavenly bodies (Gen. 1:14–19; Ps. 136:7–9; Jer. 31:35)], who does not change like their shifting shadows.
Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.

James 1:17 is my key verse, when combined with 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

A blessing is seeing God. It's seeing Him at work and is seeing His creation. After all, when God blesses us, He shows us His favor and mercy.

Blessed is a gift given by God. A blessing is how He shows us favor. How does He bless us? He shows us His glory and creation. He answers our prayers.

Psalm 19:1 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
For the choir director. A Davidic psalm.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky proclaims the work of His hands.(A)
Cross references:
19:1 : Ps 50:6; Rm 1:19-20
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.

 I will daily count my blessings, the favor showed to me by God. I will count my blessings all day and night long and live 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

--Stacy Duplease
http://BlessingsJournaling.blogspot.com/
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire HDX Tablet

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC. August 2014. The Virginia Living Museum.)