The worship service we attended last Sunday ended with the hymn “How Great Thou Art.” Yesterday, as Cheryl and I sat on the beach for several hours, there was a delightful breeze blowing under our canopy and keeping us cool and comfortable. I was feeling blessed and thought of the second stanza from that hymn:

When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze     

That gentle breeze was a reminder of God’s goodness and greatness. And I thanked Him for it. But that doesn’t begin to tell the story of God’s greatness. The next stanza gets to the best part.

And when I think that God His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die,  I scarce can take it in
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to  take away my sin    

I was thinking about this and how blessed I am while sitting on that white sand on a gorgeous, sunny day. I was reading through the Gospel of Matthew and given a vivid, timely reminder of what it means to be blessed by God.

Matthew 5:3–12 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”