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The Blessing

Words of Faith Final

The Blessing
Words of Faith 5-17-2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2022
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL    
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Genesis 27
    Jacob brought it to him and he ate; and he brought some wine and he drank. [26] Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come here, my son, and kiss me."
    [27] So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said, "Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed.   [28] May God give you of heaven's dew and of earth's richness—an abundance of grain and new wine. [29] May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed."

          So Jacob finally got the Blessing. This was a Blessing with a capital B. He received the Blessing that Isaac thought was going to Esau. In fact, this was the Blessing that the Lord had said would go to the younger. Why was this Blessing so important that people would lie and cheat to get it?  
          The Blessing Isaac pronounced included prosperity in crops, domination over other nations and his brothers, cursing on those who cursed him, and blessing on those who blessed him. This Blessing alluded to and passed on the legacy that started with Abraham in Genesis 12. Through this Blessing Jacob would come to head the 12 tribes that would be the great nation of God's chosen people.
           A great deal has been said and written about the importance of blessing in recent years. In the time of Isaac, there was a birthright and place of family leadership attached to a particular blessing from the father. To some degree, this blessing was viewed in an almost magical sense. That may be too extreme, but we don't want to miss the fact that the father's blessing reflected recognition of God's hand at work in the life of a child. This blessing of the father upon a child empowered the child to move forward in life to the destiny of God's choosing. In many ways, the same is true today.
       The blessing of parents upon children is remarkably powerful. The blessing of parents can set a child free to discover and walk in the way God designed them to go. The opposite is true, as well. The withholding of blessing can be a cruel and manipulative act that creates a stumbling block for years.  
       The conveying of blessing is a wonderfully empowering and freeing act. The very act of blessing a child involves letting go of them and placing them into the hands of God. When we bless we release a child into the sovereign plan of God. When we bless we stop controlling and begin enjoying the handiwork of God. When we bless, we recognize with parental eyes the handiwork of God and raise that to the surface.
        Blessing should not be reserved until the end of life. In the ancient world, the blessing of the father was significantly attached to handing down patriarchal authority. This could not be done too soon for many reasons related to family control and even the possible death of the oldest son. We don't live in that same world.  
        The truth is, we should begin blessing children-- all children we are blessed with-- as soon as we get them! We should begin praying God's blessing upon them as they are born and then present them for dedication among the people of God soon after. Each day we should speak blessing into the lives of our children. We should prayerfully speak of God's hand, provision, and destiny in their lives. As we recognize God's special qualities in our child, we should bless these and lift them to the surface.  
        A child should not have to work to "earn" our blessing as parents. Blessing should be poured into the lives of our children generously. As we see our child's talent, "bent," or temperament, we need to appreciate that and pray for God's providential care and use of our child. This approval of parents to discover and walk in the way of God is vital for faith development and nurture.
         But what if my child behaves in a way that is dishonoring? It is essential to understand that you can bless your child while NOT blessing their ungodly behavior. You can bless the child God created them to be without condoning rebellion shaped by the world.
         Is there someone you need to bless today? As our children were at home, I tried to ensure that they did not leave our home without some blessing. I try to bless them even now as they are away from me.   Is there someone God has placed into your life that has no parental blessing? Perhaps God is calling you to speak blessing into their life.
        Do you need the blessing of the Father? Seek Him as He will bless You to walk in His way and in His strength.

           May the Lord God bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.  

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)        
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2022 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.