“Blessed shall you when you come in, and blessed shall you when you go out” - Deuteronomy 28:6 (NIV).
There are a number of tribes in Uganda and throughout Africa where children are given names that ring like a form of curse. Can you imagine giving a child a name like “Damadri” - death has come! or, “Musota”-the snake!” Perhaps “Zinsazze”- sorrows upon me! Well, frankly the intention of giving children such names is not to bless them but something else, perhaps sinister.
Such cursing was not the case among the Jews. After Abraham’s servant convinced her family to release Rebekah for marriage to Isaac, before they let her go a prayer was said. “Our sister may you increase to thousands upon thousands, may your offspring possess the cities of their enemies” (Gen 24:60). The nation that would come out of Rebekah’s womb, Israel, has since been blessed by that prayer.
Blessings at the start of a journey was customary among Jews. Moses blessed Joshua as he passed on to him the leadership baton. “Blessed are you, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord. He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemy will cower over you and you will tread on their heights” (Deut 33:29). Jacob called on Joseph to bless his children before passing on. “When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he said, “Who are these?” Joseph said, “They are my sons whom God has given me here.” And he said, “Bring them to me that I may bless them” (Gen 48:8-9).
Just as in some cultures they lump on children sinister names to follow them through, so are they too reluctant to bless each other. However, if we see among God’s people, blessing each other was a way of life. May we just like they be inspired to bless each other, starting with our very families. For if we see the success of the Jewish peoples all over the world and through millenniums, who can doubt that those prayers of blessings by their forefathers have followed them mightily.
Prayer for today: Lord Father in heaven, today I pray in the precious name of Lord Jesus, to be blessed of you and those whom you have placed under him.
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24/04/2024 - 25/04/2024 All day“May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed” (Psalm 20:4)
Premier Joseph and King David have a particular common characteristics: two individuals who were blessed with success, in their work. When Joseph was taken into the household of Potiphar, “The LORD was with Joseph so that he prospered...When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant” ( Gen 39:2-4).
Even when he was imprisoned later, on false accusations, “The LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there” (vv 21-22). Later in his life he is made second in command of Egypt by Pharaoh. “You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you” (Genesis 41:40).
For David, after he disposed off Goliath, “Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful that Saul gave him a high rank in the army” (1 Samuel 18:5). His success on the battle field would soon cause trouble for him when the troops started singing, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands” (vv 7).
In spite of Saul’s anger at the comparison and even trying to kill him, for David “in everything he did he had great success, because the LORD was with him. When Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he led them in their campaigns” (vv 14-16). Eventually, the throne would pass on to David.
Success in life is one of the blessings the Lord has marked out for believers. These individuals were successful because the Lord was with them. The only one who does not wish to see success of us, is the enemy Satan, who comes to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10). May we pray that our lives are characterized with the anointing of success, because the Lord is with us!
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today I pray that I bask in your success, in all that I do, because as was with your servants Joseph, David, Daniel and others, you are with me, and this I pray in Jesus’ name.
