Liv
Extracts of Truth & Encouragement from a Growth Journey with God
Blessings: You Get and You Give
He had just left for a two-week long missions trip to another continent. The weeks leading up to my husband’s departure were excruciating, internally. There was SO much spiritual warfare going on; I could feel it, like a thick, heavy fog settling in. I knew it was God’s calling for him to go, yet there were warning signs the Spirit of God had given me that alerted a lot of emotions within.
I decided to journal each day while he was gone. I began by listing the things I missed about him; he’s my best friend, and being unable to communicate with him often was going to be quite an adjustment. I followed that list with a number of things I was praying for that day, which led to my time in prayer. I only formatted it that way for two days before the LORD reformatted my heart! On the third day, I still wrote what I missed, but I quickly followed it with what I was thankful for that day. My prayer requests followed, as well as my time in prayer. It was amazing how writing out and thinking through the blessings God had given me that day changed my perspective, not only in prayer, but in how I approached each day, looking for God’s hand, moment by moment. They were not always happy blessings; some were hard struggles, but I was seeing how He was providing and purposing them. I didn’t always see them right at first, yet He was faithful in revealing Himself and my continued need for depending on Him.
Think about the blessings you’ve been given. What or whom would you include?
We’re at the end of Judges 13, which we have looked at closely, piece by piece. Today, we’re focusing on the LORD’s blessings.
“…and the LORD blessed him.”
Judges 13:24c
If you look at the previous portion of this verse, you can see that the one whom the LORD is blessing is Samson. To receive a blessing from the LORD is to get a benefit from Him, as one is considered in a favorable (or more favorable) position.
The verse that follows talks about one of the LORD’s blessings…
“and the Spirit of YHWH begins to move him in the camp of Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.”
Judges 13:25 LSV
We talked last post about the Spirit of God, rushing upon Samson with His supernatural, decisive, controlled energy to wage a war of judgment on the Philistines. When He did this, the ropes Samson was tied with melted away…they vanished (Judges 15:14), or he snapped them in two like a thread (Judges 16:12)! When we see, in Judges 13:25, that the Spirit of God moved Samson in the camp, the Hebrew word for “moved” means to all of a sudden push him in a specific direction, urging him to do something specific.
Samson’s dad was of the tribe of Dan; he was from Zorah (Judges 13:2). We see, in Verse 25, that Samson was at an encampment of the Danites, located near Zorah. So, it’s fairly safe to say he was “at home” there…in location and with his tribe…until the Spirit of God made it clear that the time was right, and He wanted Samson to move. Leaving home may not have looked like a blessing to Samson, but the presence and power of the One True God moving him in a specific direction to do something specific WAS!
Are you being (or have you been) moved by God to do something specific…and/or in a specific direction? I could fill post after post of the times He has moved me, whether it was to my knees, to say the words He was welling up inside me, to another state, to a different job, to a point of dependency at His feet…
Where is the Spirit of God moving you?
It may not seem like a blessing at first, as my husband leaving on the missions trip didn’t feel so much so for me, given the warnings; however, God moved me to a place of trust and dependency on Him. I had plenty of opportunities before to trust and depend on Him, but nothing like that experience led me to; and I learned how to bless Him for that time in my life.
When you think of blessings, do you think of what you are getting…or have received?
Or do you think of what you have given or are giving to God?
The Hebrew word used for “bless” in Judges 13:24 not only means to get a benefit from God; it also means for us to adore Him…with bent knees in worship or submission, to praise and honor Him. We’ve seen, through Chapter 13, how God had a purpose for Samson before he was conceived; He was foreshadowing His Son, a Wonder, through him and was showing Himself through Samson to others when His Spirit moved him. While things in our lives may not make sense to us, seem right or fair, or even be clear to us, there is a purpose; we may be on a journey, leading us to a place of trust and dependency on Him…the likes we’ve never seen.
- What is your favorite way to worship God?
- Have you ever knelt before the King of Kings (either physically or figuratively, by laying down your pride, agenda, control, etc.)?
I can’t wait to hear your story as you show A Wonder your adoration!!
2 Comments on “Blessings: You Get and You Give”
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Liv 
I can resonate so much with this post! I have never felt so strongly led to “just worship”. This is where God has me right now. Just asking me to worship him. No matter the outside influence, no matter the earthly pressures, no matter the giant pile of things that don’t make sense to me. He is leading me to a heart of worship. Prayer, song, journaling, and taking time to just BE with Him.
You always remind me that there is Purpose…and I choose to trust that!
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Mmmmm, Marcie! My heart just got a big ‘ole bath of life water rushing over it when I read this! Thank u, Jesus!! As always, your comments lead me to bask in the Son! Thank u for sharing what He is leading u to and encouraging through this act of worship!! 💚 Your obedience, worship, and trust r fulfilling His purpose for u.
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