I couldn’t let the moment pass by. I stopped organizing and packing for the trip for a bit and picked up another remarkable book by Tim Keller that I’m reading. At the risk of possibly repeating myself (sometimes, I can’t remember exactly what I’ve written before), if you asked me to name three, four or five people, currently living that I’d like to have a two hour private dinner with, he’d be one. With a gentle rain falling outside, something he said in the current chapter, entitled “An Identity That Doesn’t Crush You or Oppress Others,” made me reflect back on our hour-long conversation this morning with my Monday Men’s group.

I have mentioned them before. We started ten and a half years ago, just five of us, in the aftermath of the suicide of the only child of kind and gentle Rex and Connie, who served in ministry at a local church. Todd suffered from mental illness and Rex and Connie devote much of their lives now to supporting mental health. We now have ten men, although we are losing one (and his young family) to the mission field in far north Alaska where he will be a pilot. Ostensibly, our weekly session now goes from 6:15-7:15am. It’s frequently quite dark when we begin but we all emerge with hearts lightened when we leave. These are all good and caring men as we wrestle with all of the issues regarding life as followers of Jesus.

This morning, we concluded the book we’ve been deeply into for the past several months. It is entitled A Long Obedience in the Same Direction and is a study on the 15 psalms, collectively known as the Songs of Ascent. I mentioned this in my first post in this latest flurry, on December 5. The last chapter has the theme of Blessing. The psalm which is the basis for this theme is the 134^th. It is very short and to the point.

As we are blessed, so we should bless God. That might sound simple but, as always, we had a robust discussion. What does blessing mean, actually? What is being blessed like? How have we experienced it? How do we bless others? And, interestingly, how can we bless God? As Tony (who is very bright and always keenly observant) commented something like this, “I mean, we can always use blessings, but how in the heck do you bless God? It’s not like he needs our blessings and after all, he’s God!” We laughed and nodded our heads, becoming silent for a few moments.

Something remarkable happens in a blessing. While I never really thought about the term much until ten or twelve years ago, I knew I had benefited from the care and kindness of others. I had received gifts that helped me immensely. And, I knew that I had offered similar gifts to others. But, I didn’t really understand the concept of Blessing.

I remarked to the group that I felt true blessing as an expression of the state of Grace, another unfamiliar concept until this latest period of my life. In the ideal, that state is when two or more individuals are incredibly close and the love pours out as a gift. It is a heart thing. It is received as the breath of life. It fills the lungs and soul. When, from God, there is nothing like it. A blessing is a gift of self, an opening and a deliverance. An outpouring that is grounded in love. And when that comes from God, oh my.

Yes, we can issue perfunctory blessings, of which I have no problem. The fact that people will pause to recognize they are not the centers of the universe, speaking words to that effect, is a good thing.

Most frequently, we ask for blessings, although with our annual Christmas/Holiday cards, we often share abbreviated forms of blessings, asking people to receive peace, love, hope and joy.

But, a blessing is a gift. It is not unattached. It is not just a thing that is out there.

A state of grace is living within a reality that says I am here as gift. Not as a gift but as gift. For those who make themselves open to receiving gifts, relinquishing the hard exterior that says I am the master of my fate and I don’t need handouts, a life of gift receiving and gift giving is the only kind of life worth living.

And, from within that life, experiencing God’s blessings is something that is only praiseworthy. It is worth the highest form of Praise. Which is what the psalmist means and it’s what the tens of thousands of Jews sang from their hearts as they tread up the hill to worship the one true God in Jerusalem. We are truly blessed. In good times and bad.

But, to get to Tony’s excellent question about how we can bless God …

I believe it’s just the same, but in reverse. Just as God adores us, we burst forth with adoration. Just as God surrendered himself to become flesh, live among us and die for us, showing us who he is and what life with him is like, we surrender in return, exclaiming, “Here I am, Lord. Take me.” We offer ourselves right back. That is blessing God. It is in the offering. Open. Full. Vulnerable.

Gary reminded us of one of his favorite songs (and mine), entitled “Blessed Be Your Name,” as sung by Matt Redman.

Here are its lyrics:

Blessed be Your name

In the land that is plentiful

Where your streams of abundance flow

Blessed be Your name

 

Blessed be Your name

When I’m found in the desert place

Though I walk through the wilderness

Blessed be Your name

 

Every blessing You pour out, Ill

Turn back to praise

When the darkness closes in, Lord

Still I will say

 

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your name

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your name

 

Blessed be Your name

When the sun’s shining down on me

When the world’s ‘all as it should be’

Blessed be Your name

 

Blessed be Your name

On the road marked with suffering

Though there’s pain in the offering

Blessed be Your name

 

Every blessing You pour out, I’ll

Turn back to praise

When the darkness closes in, Lord

Still I will say

 

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your name

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your name

 

You give and take away

You give and take away

My heart will choose to say

Lord, blessed be Your name

 

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your name

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your name.

Before leaving this topic, I should share that we discussed what it’s like to be in a dark place, not feeling any blessings, not feeling either praise-worthy or of offering praise. This is a hard one.

As the lyrics remind us, when the darkness closes in, still we can offer praise.

Diane and I have someone we’re very close to, a most wonderful woman we love dearly, who is suffering right now. Suffering terribly. It came on suddenly like a sledge hammer to disrupt a life. She has struggled nearly desperately to overcome this affliction. Just as she has been a beacon to all who know her, she is now surrendering to the love and care of others. And, throughout, she has not lost her faith and the knowledge that she is both loved nearly immeasurably here in this life and completely immeasurably by God.

And, it’s that knowledge that God is faithful, despite our afflictions … that he is loving despite not receiving love in return … that his grace is without bounds … all of this is sustaining. It is the breath of life.

For many years now, I am quite aware of the fact that I’m living on borrowed time. I’ve written about it. And, being borrowed, it doesn’t truly belong to me. I am dependent. My experience of a year ago only emphasizes this fact.

But, here’s the thing about borrowing. Although my life is borrowed, the mortgage has been paid in full. The debt is clear.

In my surrender and thanksgiving, I can’t help but praise. You are the breath of life. The living water. Only if I could learn how to be a better blessing to others … the people I come into contact with each day. I fall so short. But, just as the Psalms of Ascent describe a journey, a pilgrimage of transformation, so is this life.

Thank you for my life and all of the blessings You bestow. I can’t help but kneel in gratitude. In turn, I lift my hands up to you, Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Blessed be your name.