Your presence on earth matters.

From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potipher’s household for Joseph’s sake. (Genesis 39:5)

“…for Joseph’s sake.”

When a God-fearing man named Joseph walked through Potipher’s door, the entire household reaped blessing. It is an intriguing to think that when you and I walk through any door, we bring God’s blessings with us because as God cares for us, those blessings automatically fall on those around us as well.

For Noah’s sake.

I propose that when a God-fearing man named Noah was on the earth, his family reaped blessing – undeserved blessing. Take a look at what is was like just before the ark was built to survive the earth-wide flood. The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. (Genesis 6:5)

I have always assumed that Noah’s family members were part of the “every” inclination and “only” evil and “all” the time. The terms “every,” “only” and “all” are inclusive. Noah, however, was an exception, apparently the only exception.

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. (Genesis 6:9) But Noah…

What blessing did Noah bring to those around him?

The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled ….So God said to Noah….make yourself an ark of cypress wood….I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. But….you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. (Genesis 6:6, 12, 17-18)

Boom!

Right here, I believe we see Noah’s wife and Noah’s three sons and daughters-in-law reap the blessings of having a husband or father who found favor in the eyes of the Lord. This parallels with how Potiphar benefited from selecting Joseph to manage his household.

For our sake.

Being a child of God brings automatic blessing, just like my children reap more blessings from me than their friends. My children get to walk right into my home without knocking and help themselves to my time, energy and resources. This isn’t about entitlement, but relationship.

However, when my son brings home a few of his friends, the entire gang gets to enjoy the same blessings my son receives as my child. All of them get to walk in the door without knocking and help themselves to my time, energy and resources as guests in my home because as I bless my son, I automatically also bless his friends.

The physical presence of God-fearing individuals on the globe brings pockets of God’s blessings upon those around them as well – in the workplace, in families, in neighborhoods and cities. As God provides for and protects you, others around you benefit. It is a good thing you are even in the room!

It is a good thing we are on the earth.

We learn in Matthew 24 that suffering will intensify as the end of time draws near. When time ends, is connected to the suffering of God’s children. Tucked in the middle of the description of what is referenced as “end times,” we learn this: In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones. (Matthew 24:22) Suffering will end for God’s children, and also everyone else. 

Your physical presence matters.

Everywhere you go, you bring God’s blessing as an overflow of having a personal relationship with God. You bring God’s blessings to those around you. Hold your head high and walk with shoulders squared because your presence matters on this earth.

We are an active part of the Story.

For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. (2 Corinthians 2:15)

God is still building His family. That is why time hasn’t ended. There are hearts responding to His call today , and hard hearts that are still destined to soften sometime in the future. We don’t know which is which, but we are a fragrant lure to everyone. As we carry the blessings of God into every relationship we have, people get to know what Jesus is like. Let’s make sure we are attractive lights for Christ everywhere our feet take us.

Picture Explanation: May every member of my immediate and extended family, every friend and neighbor, every student and co-worker, and every member of my church, reap more of God’s blessings because I am in their lives. May the reverse also be true. May I reap more of God’s blessings because they are in my life, as God is also actively blessing them.

© 2022 by Oaks Ministries. All rights reserved.

 

 

 

4 Responses

  1. Thanks for sharing, Laurie. Interesting timing. I just returned from a woman’s retreat my friend organized. She and her husband took the “Perspectives in the Worldwide Christian Movement” course—an excellent course on God’s heart that all God’s people be on mission. In it, my friends learned of an important theme running from Genesis 12: 1-3 and throughout scripture: “Your blessed, so go, be a blessing!!” and took that on as a family motto. As a result, they adopted bi-racially, served in Africa, and serve here now. At the retreat, another woman was overcome in tears, thinking that she is a burden. What joy to share that each of us in the body of Christ plays an important part, and each one is blessed to be a blessing.

    Your blessed. Go. Be a blessing.

  2. Thank you for this post, Laurie. I never thought that just our presence could be a blessing. I love your example about your son and his friends. That because they were with your son, they received the blessing of open entry to your home, your provisions, your energy, and your love, simply because they were with your son. If they had not been with your son, you would have met them at the door and told them to come back another time. I will have to ponder that.

    1. I love to ponder things. Let me know how the developed thoughts settle in your mind. We can have a conversation!

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Planting and Watering

I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes growth.

1 Corinthians 3:6

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