Reflections – 2015.05

Counting Your Blessings

In Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas,” there is this song about counting your blessings.  The words go like this:

When I’m worried and I can’t sleep

I count my blessings instead of sheep

And I fall asleep

Counting my blessings

When my bankroll is getting small

I think of when I had none at all

And I fall asleep

Counting my blessings

I think about a nursery and I picture curly heads

And one by one I count them as they slumber in their beds

If you’re worried and you can’t sleep

Just count your blessings instead of sheep

And you’ll fall asleep

Counting your blessings

Sentimental to be sure, though it may in fact help you when you are down or having trouble sleeping to count the simple blessings (i.e., provision and children) mentioned in the song.

Over the next few months, beginning this May, I will be preaching through the theme of “Counting Your Blessings” … The goal of this counting is not to replace sheep, but to have the eyes of our hearts enlightened and to better know the hope to which we have been called, to grow in our faith and in our love for Christ.  The text will be Ephesians 1:3-14, where Paul reminds us that “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” has “blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.”  Here are the blessings we will be counting:

  1. The Blessing of Election (Ephesians 1:4)
  2. The Blessing of Predestination (Ephesians 1:5)
  3. The Blessing of Adoption (Ephesians 1:5)
  4. The Blessing of Grace (Ephesians 1:6)
  5. The Blessing of Redemption (Ephesians 1:7)
  6. The Blessing of God’s Will (Ephesians 1:8-10)
  7. The Blessing of Inheritance (Ephesians 1:11-12)
  8. The Blessing of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14)

 

So when you’re worried and cannot sleep, but also while you work, play, and eat, my desire for you is you’ll be counting your blessings.