Blessing the God of Blessings

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us” (Eph. 1:3).

When we bless God, it is with words of praise; when He blesses us, it is with deeds of kindness.

Paul's brief doxology identifies God the Father as the ultimate recipient and source of blessing—the One to whom blessing is ascribed and the One who bestows blessings on those who love Him.

“Blessed” translates the Greek word eulogeō, from which we get eulogy. To bless or eulogize God is to praise Him for His mighty works and holy character.

That should be the response of your heart just as it has been the response of believers throughout the ages. The psalmist said “Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer” (Ps. 66:20); and “blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone works wonders” (Ps. 72:18). Peter said, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pet. 1:3).

When the situation is reversed and God blesses us, it isn't with praise, for apart from Him there is nothing praiseworthy about us. Instead, He gives us undeserved benefits through His many deeds of kindness. Scripture identifies Him as the source of every good thing (James 1:17), who works all things together for our good and His glory (Rom. 8:28).

That is but a sampling of the many blessings He lavishes on us in His Son, Christ Jesus. It's a marvelous cycle: God blesses us with deeds of kindness; we bless Him with words of praise.

Beware of the sin of thanklessness. Recognize God's blessings in your life and let them fill your heart and lips

Identify ten specific blessings that God has granted to you in recent days and praise Him for each one. Ask Him to make you more aware of and thankful for His goodness in your life. Always be ready to seek forgiveness when you take His blessings for granted. For Further Study

King David’s song of praise
1 With my whole heart, with my whole life,
and with my innermost being,
I bow in wonder and love before you, the holy God!
2 Yahweh, you are my soul’s celebration.
How could I ever forget the miracles of kindness
you’ve done for me?
3 You kissed my heart with forgiveness, in spite of all I’ve done.[a]
You’ve healed me inside and out from every disease.
4 You’ve rescued me from hell[b] and saved my life.
You’ve crowned me with love and mercy.
5 You satisfy my every desire with good things.[c]
You’ve supercharged my life so that I soar again[d]
like a flying eagle in the sky!
6 You’re a God who makes things right,
giving justice to the defenseless.
7 You unveiled to Moses your plans
and showed Israel’s sons what you could do.
8 Lord, you’re so kind and tenderhearted
to those who don’t deserve it[e]
and so patient with people who fail you!
Your love is like a flooding river
overflowing its banks with kindness.[f]
9 You don’t look at us only to find our faults,[g]
just so that you can hold a grudge against us.
10 You may discipline us for our many sins,
but never as much as we really deserve.
Nor do you get even with us for what we’ve done.
11 Higher than the highest heavens—
that’s how high your tender mercy extends!
Greater than the grandeur of heaven above
is the greatness of your loyal love, towering over all
who fear you and bow down before you!
12 Farther than from a sunrise to a sunset—
that’s how far you’ve removed our guilt from us.
13 The same way a loving father feels toward his children—
that’s but a sample of your tender feelings toward us,[h]
your beloved children, who live in awe of you.
14 You know all about us, inside and out.[i]
You are mindful that we’re made from dust.
15 Our days are so few, and our momentary beauty[j]
so swiftly fades away!
16 Then all of a sudden we’re gone,
like grass clippings blown away in a gust of wind,
taken away to our appointment with death,
leaving nothing to show that we were here.
17 But Lord, your endless love stretches
from one eternity to the other,
unbroken and unrelenting toward those who fear you
and those who bow facedown in awe before you.
Your faithfulness to keep every gracious promise you’ve made
passes from parents, to children, to grandchildren, and beyond.
18 You are faithful to all those who follow your ways
and keep your word.
19 God’s heavenly throne is eternal, secure, and strong,
and his sovereignty rules the entire universe.
20 So bless the Lord, all his messengers of power,
for you are his mighty heroes who listen intently
to the voice of his word to do it.
21 Bless and praise the Lord, you mighty warriors,
ministers who serve him well and fulfill his desires.
22 I will bless and praise the Lord with my whole heart!
Let all his works throughout the earth,
wherever his dominion stretches,
let everything bless the Lord!

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