Blessing & Gratitude

I recently started using these words as a “sign off” of sorts. I’m in a place of gratitude and I’m really trying to live there consistently. If it will take time to reflect on all that I have been blessed with, I should be grateful at all times. I have been doing the “gratitude snooze” – where I hear my alarm go off in the morning and I hit the snooze button and lay back down and literally start counting my blessings. I’ve got 9 minutes before the alarm goes off again. This one little practice has helped me be more aware of all that I have to be grateful for.  If I will simply think about other places I’ve been, and my eyes have seen, I am so blessed to live where I live and get to serve the people of my community as their REALTOR.

Lot, Abram’s nephew was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Some kings nearby had joined forces and they captured Sodom and Gomorrah as spoils of war. Sodom is where Lot lived.  These kings took his family and his possessions as part of their spoils. One of Lot’s men escaped and told Abram. Abram acts quickly and gathers his friends and allies for a rescue mission. They were able to rescue Lot, his family and his possessions. They brought back to Sodom the plunder that the kings had hauled off. The king of Sodom shows up at Abrams place along with a priest. Check this out….

¹⁷ After Abram returned from his victory over Kedorlaomer and all his allies, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).

¹⁸ And Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, brought Abram some bread and wine. ¹⁹ Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing:

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
    Creator of heaven and earth.
²⁰ And blessed be God Most High,
    who has defeated your enemies for you.”

Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had recovered.(Genesis 14:17-20 NLT)

This story ended well for Abram and his nephew Lot. I believe that Abram gave the Lord credit for the victory. I believe Abram was grateful for being able to rescue Lot who was much like a son to him.

I was reminded that the Lord is still the Lord in the midst of the direst circumstances.  I was also reminded that His Presence in every situation changes perspective.  Abram took a great risk to rescue Lot, but he obviously felt as if he had no choice but to go get him.

I’m still learning to give God the credit for all the good things that happen to me or come my way. I’m also learning to lean on Him when things don’t seem to be going my way. I try to keep my eyes on the big picture (eternity) and walk with Him each day in this temporary life. I believe if I will seek to be a blessing to others, I will be blessed. I was reminded that as Zig Ziglar used to say: “If you will help others get what they want, then you will get what you want”.  Gratitude and blessing are two really “by-products” that can come by walking out my faith in God.

Pressing On!

Dwayne