Word for the Week

So God created man in his own image... God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.’ Genesis 1:27-28

You log off on your computer, close the door of your classroom, hand over to the next shift in the factory, cash up in the shop, or simply put the meal on the table. Does it occur to you to bless your day's work or the people you have worked with? What would be your expectation in doing so? On the completion of his work of creation in Genesis 1-2, God blessed the creatures he had made, bidding them increase, multiply and fill the earth.
 
The Bible provides many examples of people blessing others. Jacob schemed to get his father's blessing (Genesis 27); the elders and those at the gate blessed Ruth and Boaz (Ruth 4:11-12); Rebekah's family declared a blessing on her as she began her to journey to Isaac (Genesis 24:60); King David's servants blessed their boss (1 Kings 1:47). Jesus not only blessed children, but extended the practice of blessing to include those who persecute us (Luke 6:28). It was not just priests or those with particular authority who invoked or prayed God's blessing on others - anyone could do it!
 
As Christians, we are not only blessed ourselves, but are given the privilege of invoking, mediating and embodying God's blessing to others. When we pray blessing on situations or projects we are praying that God will look with favour on all that is in line with his purposes and all that is life-giving.
 
Moreover, blessing embraces the idea of Shalom - peace, wellbeing and wholeness. It can be all too easy to focus on the negative in people or in workplaces; to focus on and bless what is good needs a deliberate choice - often one that goes against the flow of the prevailing culture. But then, aren't we as Christians called to be counter-cultural?


 
Beverley Shepherd

 
 
From February 1st, LICC is starting a 40 day journey of prayer for work using the prayer pathway of blessing. It's the first of what we hope will be several pathways to help us pray for God's purposes in our workplaces and organisations. These prayer journeys for the workplace are part of a new LICC initiative -PrayerWorks - which seeks to energise and equip Christians to pray creatively for transformation in their world of work, wherever that may be. Visitwww.licc.org.uk/prayerworks for more about the project, prayer resources and to sign up for this journey.
 

Author: Bev Shepherd