3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly [places] in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love (Eph 1:3-4 NASB)
If Mama Ain’t Happy
Have you ever heard the phrase, “if Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy?” I wouldn’t know, because my wife Betty is an eternal fountain of optimism and cheerfulness. I have to say, being a person who is not always so cheerful and sanguine, I have come very much to depend upon her beautiful disposition. If I woke up one morning and my dear wife was depressed, I don’t think I could face the world! Her sweet kind humor and love for everyone is by far my greatest earthly blessing.
Bless God!
Now, what kind of thing is it to say “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ?” Does God need us to bless Him? What a strange turn of phrase! It actually is the Greek word “eulogētos” which means “blessed” or “praised” or “adored”, or more literally “well-spoken of.”
That said, I like to think of God as being blessed or happy. Even more than my awesome wife, He is dependable in His lovingkindness towards me, and that is really saying something! He is pleased and content, He is overjoyed, to bless us with all of this rich mercy and lavish grace. He is not dour and regretful, reluctantly releasing His hand from His beloved and delicious righteous judgements to grudgingly grant us forgiveness. No, He is delighted to lavish us with undeserved blessings, rich and foundational mercies, and wonderful surprises that we could never expect and never think we deserve. God loves to love us. He blesses us not because we bless Him, but because He is truly an eternal fountain of love and kindness and rich benevolent power.
10 But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting [Him] to grief; If He would render Himself [as] a guilt offering, He will see [His] offspring, He will prolong [His] days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. (Isa 53:10 NASB)
God was not pleased to crush Him and put Him to grief because He is a sadistic monster. He was pleased because it accomplished His kind will and intention towards us: to express a rich and eternal mercy towards us. He loves us enough to do this shocking and dramatic thing in order to spend eternity with us, his beloved bride. You and I are people of inestimable worth and a source of great joy to God.
Put that in your sanctification pipe and smoke it my friends! Hallelujah!