What Does it Mean to Be Blessed?

Ask a dozen people what the word blessing means and you’ll probably get a dozen different answers. For many people, it means financial security. For some, it means good health- For yet others, it means meaningful relationships with significant people in their lives. Even in the Bible the word is used to express a number of different thoughts.

Are any of these phrases familiar? Have you heard them or said them yourself?

“Dear God, bless this food.”

“Dear God, bless this project.”

“Dear God, bless my family this coming week.”

What does it mean to be “blessed”? When God blessed Abraham did something change in his life (Genesis 12:1-4)? When Jesus blessed the children were their lives richer for it (Mark 10:13-16)? We wish each other a blessed Christmas or Easter. Does something happen because we say this, or is it a meaningless tradition from earlier centuries?

Blessings have been used for thousands of years in all sorts of settings. Scripture contains numerous blessings that were spoken or written to people.