What does God consider "blessing"?
English: Old Beggar, 1916, by Louis Dewis, painted just outside his clothing store in Bordeaux (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “I’m blessed!” “That was such a blessing !” “Wow, you are blessed!” Whether some financial profit, a good meal, an ideal day, or finding our lost keys, we’ve all said it. And those things are blessings. But, too often we risk throwing around benedictory phrases with a shallow, man-centered carelessness. What does God consider “blessing”? God’s definitions of blessing might not always fit the pop-definitions. One in particular, perhaps, counter-intuitive blessing is described from what is considered the greatest sermon ever preached: the Sermon on the Mount . Christ opened it with the declarative blessing, “ Blessed are the poor in spirit , for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:3). What is the essence of this blessing? “Blessed.” It does not refer to emotions of happiness which could change in five minutes, but a permanent state of God’s favor, regardl