He Already Has

When Independence Day rolls around, I am aware of the rhetoric that, often, comes with it.

“God Bless America.”  Words sung and said with hopeful longing by many.

I wonder what would happen if we opened our eyes up. 

I wonder if we began to really see—the freedoms we have, the places we live, the relationships we tend, the beautiful parks around our homeland, the grocery stores filled with food, our favorite restaurant or amusement park, even in considering the poorest here in the US who have so much compared to others around the world—if we would discover something we may not have realized.

 

...from the mountains



God has blessed America.

How would we live if we embraced this?

Would we realize that God blesses that we might become the blessing?



...to the prairies

To Abraham God promised: 

“I will make you into a great nation,
    and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
    and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
    and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
    will be blessed through you.”  Genesis 12:2-3 TNIV

If we realized that we had been blessed to be a blessing, might it change the way we live?




....to the oceans white with foam

 

Might we live generously with our time and our resources?

Might we stop striving to get more and realize that what we have is enough? 

Might we discover that it was never things, but communion with God and community with others that we really wanted?

Might we discover that there is always room for one more person in need around our table—the widow, the orphan, the poor, the lonely, the rejected—and invite them to join us?

Might we discover that we can live on what we have, without digging ourselves into a mountain of debt—finding the things worth having are the ones worth working for?

Might we delight in the simple moments—laughter with friends, snuggling up with a good book, the cool swimming pool in the summer heat, the smile that our spouse or child flashes in our direction?





I wonder.

I hope that we will.

Let’s live as a blessing.

Happy Fourth of July, friends. 

***

Grace and peace be ours in abundance as we realize that we have been blessed.  May we live as a blessing to each person we encounter.  May His blessing ripple through us to all the people on earth.

Jessica :)

P.S.  We have such a beautiful country.  The photos in this post are from exploring the National Parks, something my husband and I love to do.  The first was taken at Glacier National Park.  The second was taken in Badlands National Park.  The third was taken in Redwoods State & National Park.  The last was taken at Canyonlands National Park.  Thank you to my husband for the last two photos.