April 23 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

Have you ever heard or said a prayer in which God was not asked to bless something or someone? It's unlikely.

Bless is the all-purpose word for our desires in prayer. We ask for God's blessing on things, plants, people, and whatever and whomever we pray for. Bless the food, bless Dad and Mom, bless the garden, homework, schoolwork, teacher, pastor, president, and prime minister.

Suppose we were pressed to explain what we mean by the "blessing" we ask for. Few of us would have more than a vague notion.

Of course it's right to ask for God's blessing, for on that blessing all people and things depend. God's blessing is his favor. The opposite of God's blessing is God's curse. When God blesses someone or something, he is gracious to that person or thing. When God curses someone or something, he turns away from that person or thing; he withdraws his favor. The blessed person finds life's fulfillment. The cursed one is lost and miserable. The blessed land is fruitful but the cursed land is the desert, the badlands.

This psalm asks for God's blessing on Israel. "May God be gracious to us and bless us." But the purpose of the blessing is also mentioned: "so that your ways may be known on earth." If Israel is richly blessed by God, the whole earth will say, "Praise the God of Israel."

The purpose of God's blessing is—ultimately—God's glory. The psalmist does not merely ask for God's blessing because God's favor is so pleasant and prosperity feels so good. His reason for asking is to make God's name known: "May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you."

Lord, bless all your people; bless everyone who reads this page. May those who are married have happy marriages and healthy children; may those who are single be blessed with loving friends and companions; may all flourish and have vigorous lives—so that your name may be known in their city and your glory by all who see them.

REFLECTIONS

Offer a prayer of your own along the lines of the one above, asking God for blessings so that his name may be known and glorified.

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published by Paideia Press in 1977. This updated edition is copyright 2009 by Faith Alive Christian Resources. You can order a copy of this revised version of the book directly from the publisher.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this updated edition of Daylight are from the Holy Bible: Today's New International Version copyright 2001, 2005 by the International Bible Society.