A parent’s calling…to bless

Blessing: What is it?

…“I am the LORD, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants. Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! …And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go..I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.” (Genesis 28:13-15)

I delight in you…desire your good…affirm God’s call

I am committed to help you achieve God’s call

The problem when we don’t get it

Isaac loved Esau…but Rebekah loved Jacob. (Genesis 25:28)

“But look,” Jacob replied to Rebekah, “my brother, Esau, is a hairy man, and my skin is smooth. What if my father touches me? He’ll see that I’m trying to trick him, and then he’ll curse me instead of blessing me.” (Genesis 27:11-12)

How to experience healing

Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”…”Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”…Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.” (Genesis 32:26-28,30)

How blessing shapes our life

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:12)

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!… (1 John 3:1)

David blesses Solomon

I am delighted in you…and affirm God’s call

“Now, my son, may the LORD be with you and give you success…building the Temple of the LORD your God…Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart! (1 Chronicles 22:11,13)

“And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart…The LORD has chosen you to build a Temple as his sanctuary. Be strong, and do the work.” (1 Chronicles 28:9-10)

I am committed to help achieve God’s call in your life

“And now, because of my devotion to the Temple of my God, I am giving all of my own private treasures of gold and silver to help in the construction. This is in addition to the building materials I have already collected for his holy Temple…who will follow my example and give offerings to the LORD today?”…But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! (1 Chronicles 29:3,5,14)

A blessed life: 2026

And the LORD exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel, and he gave Solomon greater royal splendor than any king in Israel before him. (1 Chronicles 29:25)

Live in God’s blessing

Give God’s blessing

Reflection Question:

• What would it look like for me to live in God’s blessing in 2026?
• Who has God called me to bless in 2026?