Blessed

Have you ever heard the words “Bless you” when someone just sneezed? Actually, I am pretty sure that most people who are reading this use these words themselves. I myself don’t make use of them, at all. It’s just not in my vocabulary I guess and it’s fine. I know how to reply to people sneezing, in three languages, but I never say anything. That’s beside the point. What I want to start thinking about here is the word BLESSED.
I got an email from a friend asking me if I had any thoughts about this word and how in the world it was possible to “bless God” as we read it so often in the Bible “Blessed be the name of the Lord”. I have asked myself the same question a few years ago. Who am I to bless God Almighty! And I’ve come out without answers… without thinking much though. I don’t have much time right now, but I want to start, at least, to think about it.

I am really lost in my thoughts, so I’ll turn to the Word of God.
I think that the big issue (at least for me), is not really to understand how I can bless someone by my actions, but by simply saying “I bless you”.
- In Genesis 12:3 we read “I will bless those who bless you…” (God to Abram) I don’t know if God meant to say “I will do good to those who do good to you” or “I will do good to those who (literally say I) bless you” maybe I am wrong, maybe it’s both. I kind of feel that it’s more an action thing, as I recount the life of Abraham, people who did good to him were rewarded.
- In Luke 1:48 “From now on all generations will call me blessed, Mary is speaking here of the grace God has granted her, to become the mother of the Messiah, she is called blessed because “the Mighty One has one great things for me”. When people are said “blessed” it’s usually because “The Mighty One has done great things” for them. It speaks about grace freely given, a blessing, a gift.
- John 12:13, Jesus enters Jerusalem and people shout “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!” I think that when people literally say “Blessed be _______” and especially in that instance, I think people don’t have any power in “blessing” the person, but it’s more like a wish or hope or prayer that is said out loud. The people of Jerusalem probably meant something like: “We hope that good will be done unto you” or maybe they were saying “You are WELL COME”…
- Romans 12:14 “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse” Obviously, the opposite to bless, is to curse. So we are called to bless people! But what does it mean. I don’t know, probably, to do good to them and not do them any wrong, to bless them that way and to pray for them (for their good)…
Anyways, I don’t really want to think about how I am supposed to bless people, whether with words or actions, I wonder what it means for me to bless the Lord. How can I dare to bless Him? I’ve always thought that the older or higher in rank bless the younger or lower person, not the other way around.
When Melchizedek blessed Abram, he blessed God as well saying “And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand” (Gen. 14:18). There is a little * at the word blessed, and it says that the word here could be translated “And praise be to…” instead of “And blessed be”. I think that often, the word “blessed” can have different meanings, like to praise, to thank, …
Well, I got to go now, but I shall be thinking and researching about this issue in the days to come. Please, if you have any thought about what it means to bless the Lord, or what it means when the Word says that God is blessed forever and so on, just leave a comment, if you don’t have any idea, please read the comments posted, if there are any.

BANK FOR NATIVE MISSIONARIES: 29$ / as of March 28, 2006. Our goal to get a kerosene lantern @ 29$ has been reached! Thank you for all of you who gave to bless one of God’s servants in Asia. From tomorrow the 29th on, we’ll start all over again of the month of April, please consider giving a buck or two to this bank, so we can help our brothers and sisters in Asia who don’t have access to so many things as we do, especially for Bibles and Gospel tracts and etc. let’s be a blessing to them! Send me an email gabeleroux@yahoo.ca to know more about this and how you can make a difference in the lives of these missionaries.