This past Sunday morning, Cheryl and I woke up in our own bed after being on the road for a while. We laid there a few minutes before getting up and ready to go to worship. Cheryl asked me, “Why have we been so blessed?” I know what she meant. We have a great home on a small acreage with a pond and wildlife and everything we dreamed about while living in town most of our married life. We are able to travel to see things all over this country, including our children and grandchildren. We have even taken a few trips out of this country before the pandemic and hope to do more of that when things calm down. God continues to shower His blessings upon us. We are very aware that what we have and enjoy comes from Him. David had this same mindset as he was passing the kingdom of Israel to his son, Solomon.

“David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, “Praise be to you, O Lord, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.” (1 Chronicles 29:10–14)

When we remember and acknowledge that our blessings are from God, it is a reminder that anything we give to Him or to others come from the Lord in the first place. That is an important understanding to have as we live our lives. We are to be good stewards, good managers of what the Lord has entrusted to our care. That includes not only what we give back to the Lord and His church, but also the way we use the rest of our blessings.

And I cannot think of blessings without remembering the greatest blessing of all I have received through the life and work of my Lord Jesus.

“he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,” (Titus 3:5)

That is the best news ever, what keeps me grounded, what strengthens and empowers me to live every day. I am a forgiven and redeemed child of the living God. He did it all. For me.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy. (Psalm 103:1–4, ESV)