May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him. Psalm 67:7
The psalmist asks for blessings so that people will come to know God. God’s blessings leads to repentance. “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4).
Often it’s the hard times that cause people to seek God, and he does allow these times. However, God would prefer to overwhelm us with his kindness, so that we come to him in humility and gratitude.
God desires that we seek his blessings, not for our own pleasure, but that we’ll be witnesses to his goodness, not just for now, but for future generations. People will look at our lives and see the touch of God’s hand on us.
“In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants will be known among the nations and their off spring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the Lord has blessed” (Isaiah 61:8-9).
It’s therefore logical to seek God’s blessing, to anticipate and even expect God to bring good things into our lives. And even during the difficult times, we can look for advantageous outcomes, for moments of laughter, for indications that God is still there, strengthening and encouraging us.
We’re a people the Lord has blessed, may others look at our lives and realise that it’s only because God’s hand is upon us that we experience favour in difficult situations, that we experience peace in hard times and joy always. May it speak to them about their own need for God, and may it turn them towards him.
