God's Ultimate Blessing

What is the Ultimate Blessing of God? Many within and without Christianity surmise that such a blessing is riches, power, big houses and fleets of vehicles. Others say the ultimate blessing is nonstop good health, food and pleasure. 

A person viewing God’s ultimate blessing in those terms may be disappointed by Jesus’ statements at Matthew 5:1-12. There Jesus shows us that the ultimate blessing is about relationship with God.

In Psalm 24, David expresses his confidence in who God is and the ultimate blessing God imparts: an intimate relationship with Himself, the Most High God, Sovereign over all! That blessing comprises His saving grace, a right standing before Him, and His desire for us to live into His moral will. Ephesians describes that relationship with God as “in Christ;” in Him we are bathed in an outpouring of all spiritual blessings from His hand. (Ephesians 1) From those blessings come provision for all our needs. (Phil 4:19). 

In this ultimate blessing, we are drawn into His spiritual family and made joint heirs with Christ. We come to know God in that ultimate blessing as Father, and the more intimate Abba Father. Do we truly comprehend what God offers us – a blessing beyond anything we can ever imagine? (Ephesians 3:20-21; Colossians 1:9-14; 2:2) Too often, though, we short-shrift God’s blessing, His promised presence in our lives, because we don’t get what we want from Him. Brothers and sisters, God does not promise to satisfy our every fleshly desire and whim; His promise is to be always present with those who love Him, guiding us to His best for our lives. (Psalm 23; 139:1-6, 16-18)

As we live into God’s ultimate blessing, are we not filled with the desire to praise Him with our words and behavior, to be His living gospel, to not embarrass Him? We are His children, Christ’s siblings! Should we not pray and listen to Him, obey His Word? Jesus declares that obedience to God’s will and Word is the essence of worship. (John 14:15, 23-24) We are embraced in that relationship by the full Godhead, and there is nothing or no one – not even ourselves – that can separate us from that love. (John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35, 38-39) Are we living into God’s blessing? Do we understand that an intimate relationship with God and to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever is His greatest desire for us? Everything else flows from there. (Habakkuk 3:17-19; Philippians 4:4-7)

By contrast, the psalmist clearly admonishes in Psalm 24 that those who reject the LORD as Sovereign, and pursue a lifestyle contrary to His moral law, cannot enjoy that ultimate blessing of intimacy with Him. Let us never spurn God’s ultimate blessing, but continually seek His presence and learn His will! (Hebrews 6:1-6; Isaiah 44:22; 55:7; Psalm 32; Ephesians1:17-19)