What do we mean by blessing?  What does the Word mean when it speaks of blessing?  Genesis 2: 3 speaks of a state of rest at the end of the creation series which was blessed by the Lord.  The Hebrew word used here is “barak”.  It means to kneel and to bless God.  It can also mean a person who is blessed by God, carrying the connotation of receiving or inheriting a blessing.  

I love the image of kneeling, lowering ourselves, humbling ourselves before God, recognising the distinction between what’s lower and what’s higher and receiving a blessing from what is higher flowing to what is lower.  A Greek word for blessing is “makarios” which means to be made happy.  In the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, (Secrets of Heaven 981) the difference is highlighted between inner and outer blessing.  Outer blessing is about being enriched with bodily and worldly good.  Inner blessing is about being enriched with all spiritual and heavenly good.  The idea is that blessing really comes from heaven, bringing with it the experience of heavenly life.

There is a passage in Revelation 5 which says: “blessing, glory, wisdom, honour, and might be to our God.”  (5: 13). The Greek word there is “eulogia”, which can mean praise or adulation.  It can also mean gifts.  I was struck with by the idea that these qualities are all the Lord’s, but we can be gifted these qualities if we turn away from what is not loving and turn toward God (the source of Love).  In other words, these are all gifts that are God’s (come only from God) but can become a part of our life. 

In a favorite hymn of mine are the words: May this Light dispel our darkness.  Light that can only come into our minds from the truth of the Word dispelling the darkness of bodily and worldly thinking.  When the darkness that comes from thinking this way about the purpose of our life is dispelled, then doubt and fear cease.  The Lord’s blessing (barak) rests upon us.  We inherit that state of love and peace that the Lord desires to give us so much and we are made makarios (happy), not just here and now but to eternity!

The amazing thing to think about is that the Writings teach this is an inheritance which we all receive from God and our life is about recognising that inheritance of Love and responding to it.  When we do this, then we are truly able to be a blessing to others!

Blessings All,

Ethan