You Are Blessed in Every Moment

“Blessed is the one whose fault is removed." Psalm 32

Blessed

by Sir Elton John

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Hey you, you're a child in my head

You haven't walked yet

Your first words have yet to be said

But I swear you'll be blessed

I know you're still just a dream

Your eyes might be green

Or the bluest that I've ever seen

Anyway, you'll be blessed

And you, you'll be blessed

You'll have the best

I promise you that

I'll pick a star from the sky

Pull your name from a hat

I promise you that, promise you that

Promise you that you'll be blessed

I need you before I'm too old

To have and to hold

To walk with you and watch you grow

And know that you're blessed

And you, you'll be blessed

You'll have the best

I promise you that

I'll pick a star from the sky

Pull your name from a hat

I promise you that, promise you that...

You'll be blessed

You'll be blessed!

As the song goes, we are blessed. When we doubt, we need to know what those things are and why we are so just. A positive, upright focus reveals that through many, many of the things we have done rightly have indeed yielded us the blessings of a stable job, caring friends, family around us, a good education, housing, health care, and the many elements that make life so much more than bearable.

But when we fall into the mind of what is wrong with something or someone, our thoughts fall dark. We fail to see our own or any other blessings. Our friends are goofy, they tell dumb stories; our family argues, we don't like our co-workers and we wish our house was different-- or just somewhere else…

Unlike what some may suppose or even teach, the Faithful are ever blessed by the redemption of the Cross. The Holy Spirit has seen to that. The bible tells us, Blessed is the one whose fault is removed, for he may focus himself unto trust in the Lord.  Psalm 32
And the story of Job reinforces this. It doesn't teach that only some are blessed or that you sprinkle salt, for example, and jump three times or any other ritual to be blessed.
The bible teaches us that it is indeed the Cross, not any particular community or denomination which in the end of days, is the source of redemption and blessings for all. 

"Know this so that you may believe." John, chapter 20

Pride, Stronger than Love?

Love Stronger Than Pride

by Sade Adu, 1988

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I still really love you

Love is stronger than pride

I still really love you

`Sitting here wasting my time

would be like

waiting for the sun to rise

It's all too clear

things come and go

Sitting here waiting for you

would be like waiting for winter

It's gonna be cold

There may even

be snow
 
I still really love you

Love is stronger than pride...

For those who choose to remain in the way of faith, conventional wisdom in the light appears foolish; the opposite may, however, also be true: in the glare of conventional wisdom, the love story that is the Christ becomes foolishness. Most people live conventional lives. They do not see a role as artists, seers or poets; they do not heed a call as co-Creators. Accepting this as our role, we, as it is said, 'take up our cross', living a life that is quite often counter cultural. It is a life that values creation and all things made, natural to the world; a life of love and spirit. The disciple John writes, "Do not work for the food that perishes." (John 6:27)

So like the words written above by the artist Sade, where we find our heart, there is where our treasures lie. Intimately, the words direct us perhaps to another place, one not originally intended, but still we arrive-- and it is the right place-- even if we had not known it before. Sometimes, we're just obstinate, until faith intervenes. We are reminded that in love we do, we really do live in a community. There is someone nearby to ask, to call, to rely upon.

Yet to receive, we need to ask and to ask exposes us as part of a community. If we seek only to receive and not to give, "sitting here waiting for you... wasting my time..." because you will not, or perhaps refuse to, ever return the gift, then the words of the Christ would have a very different meaning. A gift would not be a gift. Who would there be to receive it? Who would have gifts at all? Only when givers are also willing to be receivers does the community come alive; only then does the community animate with faith, with love, with trust. I still really love you. Love is stronger than pride.