Devotional

Blessed to be a Blessing

"I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing." -Genesis 12:2

God’s promise to Abraham was blessing. God blessed him with wealth, honor and offspring to whom He gave the promised land of Canaan. But as great as such blessings were, God’s greatest blessing to Abraham was His everlasting covenant or pledge “to be God to you and your descendants after you” (Gen. 17:7). In contrast to wealth, honor, offspring and a land, this blessing could be passed on to “all the families of the earth” (Gen. 12:3). God chose Abraham from the idol-filled land of Ur, so Abraham could both know Him and make Him known.

God’s specific promise to Abraham had a universal purpose: “I will bless you that you might be a blessing … and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:2-3). In Christ Jesus a personal relationship with God through the gift of the Spirit is available for all people. The good news of Jesus Christ is not only to be believed and enjoyed, it also is to be shared and passed on to all nations.

Have you received the good news? Are you passing it on?

Exodus