I was cooking with my classmates about 20 years ago and proudly toasted them. ‘Geshundheit’ I confidently stated. The German in the room burst out in laughter and explained. ‘Nicqi, we say that after someone sneezes as a blessing. It’s not the same as <Prost>’. Oops. We all joined in the laughter, and I left the space a little more educated. For me, it is a great relief that God speaks all languages and didn’t need any interpretation for the blessing in Today’s Holy Nougat.
“Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”” Genesis 1:28 NLT
*God Blessed Us from the Onset*
Can you imagine – fish, birds, and humans were ‘blessed’ by God! From the onset, you and I were God’s choice, not only made in God’s image, but offered similar gifts of creativity as God, and anointed to fruitfulness and multiplication. I did not notice that before. (Incidentally, that blessing wasn’t mentioned for all animals. I’m not sure why).
Before we find folks talking about physical reproducibility, I invite us to consider a slightly different perspective.
As we reflect on our lives, our gifts and skills, can we identify God’s creativity reproduced in our lives? That’s God’s blessing evident in us. If we’re failing to identify our creative side, not only in the visual or performing arts, but in general; let’s all God to reveal it. Like the gifts of God’s Spirit manifested within when we accept Jesus’ Lordship over us, our Nougat suggests that we are gifted with creativity whether our not we’re called by Jesus’ name. It’s time for us to walk in our blessedness.
I’d like to challenge us to also see God’s call for fruitfulness and reproduction from a spiritual perspective. I say this from the perspective of Jesus’ references to our being fruitful in the Gospels. There’s the metaphor of the vine and the warning-encouragement to fruitfulness; the parables of the sower and the seed and the fruitless fig tree. For Jesus, this is a very important aspect of being His. We shall be recognized by our fruit.
Again, we examine ourselves … are we influencing others to follow the Jesus way? Are we replenishing the earth with Jesus followers by our lifestyle? Are we known for our spiritual fruitfulness? God’s blessings are not accidental. So, if we find that we’re feeling fruitless, we must check – are we spiritually mature, or are we outside of God’s blessed purpose. May I encourage us to call on Jesus so that we might walk in this original blessing that has become so urgent a need in our world today.
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May all we seek be found in Christ
