The Pleasure in Blessing

The chance to bless. The opportunity to heap blessings upon us. This is what God says He wants to do and does as we walk in His ways.

The Spirit blew open my understanding of this gift of extravagant grace on the last day of swimming in London. We waited eagerly but not all that hopefully for a call from USA Swimming about an opportunity for 1 or more tickets. John put on a t-shirt w a large USA Swimming logo on the front. I had on a shirt w a smaller logo.  No call came. But while at dinner I said to the family - I think I'm headed to the Olympic Park on the off chance that a ticket can be found.

John, who was headed back w the rest of the family, wiped out after walking up St Paul's 500+ steps - twice (for another story later) - said, I'm going too.

We walked. We hurried. We made our way to the Stratford station to learn one needed a ticket to enter the Park and could only be purchased online. But we walked as far as we could.

On the Tube ride over I said to John, "If there's one ticket, you are going."

We stood talking with some volunteers, scanning the sea of people for swimming logos, hoping for eye contact. After 20 minutes a group of 4, one former swimmer, his wife and two friends wearing USA Swimming shirts caught my eye. She grabbed her husbands shirt, spun around and I pointed to them.

"I have 1," she said as she approached. "Someone gave it to us and we're giving it to a swimming fan."

"Go," I said as I searched for the small video camera I had zipped into a special pocket (which I forgot), and unfortunately without it off John went.

"I'll meet you where we got off the Tube," I yelled as they hurried toward the pool which I could hear beginning to erupt with cheers - the final night - Phelps' final competitive session.

I waited for another 20 minutes hoping against hope for another ticket, with the assistance of the volunteer holding the bull horn. And I began to think about what had happened.

As I walked and stopped and found my way around the Stratford station and adjoining Westfield Mall, I began to think about the awesome privilege of being able to bless my son simply because he's my son.

"This is what I want to do in your life," I heard the Spirit say. "When it's just the two of us I'll give you the 1 ticket just because you are a child of the King."

John and I could have had a fight earlier (we didn't), I could have been frustrated with him (I wasn't) and I still would have given him the ticket.

"So would I," I heard the Spirit say.

I was overjoyed with pleasure at being able to bless my son. 

"So am I," I heard Him say, "when you say yes instead of thinking I'm holding your previous failures against you. I'm here to bless you not because of what you do but because you are my child. But you so often resist thinking yourself undeserving. As much pleasure and joy that you feel now, My pleasure is even greater when you allow me to bless you."

How do you view God? Demanding ogre or loving Father? Read Luke 15, especially the Parable of the Loving Father (normally known as the Prodigal Son but it's a story about the Father). This is who God is and He can't wait to bless you.