Blessings

This is a wonderful psalm of benediction! God longs to bless each one of us as dearly beloved children, to ‘grant (us our) heart’s desire’ and to ‘fulfil all (our) petitions’. Sometimes that desire may be utterly simple and basic: for a roof over our head, safety and the means to feed and clothe our families. At other times it may be more complex, in a confusing, conflicting and contradictory world of political activity, where promises of co-operation for justice may or may not be kept, and those who seem to be friends may or may not be so.

God invites us all to share in blessing the world, in prayer and work together. Within the wonder of the divine economy, blessing increases blessing. In blessing each other, we know ourselves to be blessed.

Read the whole of Psalm 20 and hold in prayer all Christian Aid supporters, staff and partners throughout the world, together with anyone else with whom we’re seeking to work to alleviate poverty and injustice. May the Lord fulfil all your petitions.

In the words of the old hymn: ‘count your blessings’! Let’s reflect on the ways in which we know ourselves to be blessed, and make a response in gratitude, in whatever way seems appropriate to us.

‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love’ (Ephesians 1.3). Alleluia!

Amen.

Adapted from a contribution by the Rev Dr Jennie Hurd, Chair of the Cymru Synod of the Methodist Church in Wales at the time of writing.