The Blessing

A history lesson this week of Thanksgiving:

At this time of year, we speak often (or we should) of counting our blessings.

Hopefully, we recognize that we are blessed by the Lord.

But what does that mean, exactly, to be blessed?

The word “bless” in Hebrew means to “kneel or to adore”.

It is closely connected to the word for “knee”.   So when we sing “Blessed be the Name of the Lord,” we are using the literal meaning of the word. 

We bless Your Name, oh God, we kneel before You because You are worthy. We adore You.

Why, then. does scripture say God blesses us?

After all, God doesn’t kneel before us in adoration.  (Shudder! How awful the thought of God shrinking to submission to me.)

Ann Spangler’s excellent book, Praying the Names of God offers some insight into this.  She explains that Yahweh, the Covenant Maker and Keeper, came down to initiate a relationship between Himself and man.

In other words, He knelt down as a loving Father and went face to face with His child, looked me in the eyes--

and blessed me with His presence.

This Thanksgiving, as we sit at a table laden with the feast, let’s remember that God and man at table are sat down—because Yahweh, our Covenant Maker and Keeper, came to bless us.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Ginger