Have you ever wondered what’s required to receive God’s blessing? Is it a reward for good behavior, a gold star for following all the rules? Well, here’s a curveball for you — the Bible teaches us something radically different. The blessing of God isn’t a payback for perfection; it’s a gift received through faith. And guess what? Even when our behavior falters, God’s blessing prevails, just like it did for Abraham.
Look at this truth bomb:
So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
— Galatians 3:9 (NKJV)
This statement flips the script on traditional notions of earning God’s favor. Abraham, often hailed as the father of faith, wasn’t a poster child for impeccable behavior. Remember when he deceived Pharaoh about his wife Sarah? (Genesis 12:10-20) Not exactly the pinnacle of ethical conduct, right?
Yet, what’s mind-boggling is that God’s blessing continued to flow into Abraham’s life. This, despite the fact that Abraham later did the exact same thing with Abimalech later (Genesis 20:1-16).
Both times Abraham was blessed massively, despite his ungodly behavior.
Why did God bless him? Because it wasn’t tied to Abraham’s perfect track record. It was tied to his faith, his trust in God’s promises. Abraham’s faith was his currency, and God’s blessing was the extravagant exchange rate.
This truth reverberates through the ages to us. Our blessing isn’t a result of flawless behavior. It’s a result of faith, of choosing to trust in God’s goodness despite our imperfections. It’s realizing that the grace extended to us is bigger than our mistakes.
This doesn’t mean we abandon righteous living. Instead, it means we recognize that our righteousness isn’t a ticket to God’s blessing. It’s a response to it. The blessing empowers us to live godly lives, not out of a legalistic obligation, but out of love and gratitude.
So, the next time you feel inadequate or unworthy, remember Abraham. Remember that even in his deceptive moments, God’s blessing remained. And in the same way, through faith, you walk in that blessing today. It’s not about how well you behave; it’s about how confidently you embrace the truth that God’s blessing is yours through faith in Him.
