“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; NKJV)
A foundation is a strong, stable base on which a life is built. A blessing is a gift from God. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17; NKJV). In Christ there are “showers of blessing” (Ezekiel 34:26; NKJV). Of all the blessings God has given us it seems to me that there are five that we can fall back on as we make our journey from Earth to Heaven.
Five Foundational Blessings. Grace is God’s kindness to the guilty and undeserving. Grace is God giving us what we don’t deserve. Mercy is God withholding from us what we do deserve. Love is God’s active good will toward us. Forgiveness of sins is the release from the debt, guilt, and punishment for our transgressions. Hope is the confident expectation He fills us after we receive forgiveness.
Why I don’t deserve them. I do not deserve these five foundational blessings because I have sinned. By definition I do not deserve grace. I am guilty and undeserving. He is well within His holy nature to give me what I deserve. He loves me despite my sins. He longs to forgive me. He fills me with a living hope even though I have let Him down again and again.
Why I’ve been given them. I have been given these five foundational blessings to the praise of His glory! We have been given “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” for the purpose of glorifying His name (Ephesians 1:3). He gives me grace, mercy, love, forgiveness of my sins, and hope that I would praise His name! Receive these blessings “to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14; 2:7; 3:20-21).
My response to them. Because of these five foundational blessings I will rejoice always! I will pray without ceasing! I will give thanks in everything! Because of these five foundational blessings I have a relationship to God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit that will sustain me no matter what happens. Nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39; NKJV). In this I rejoice and praise His name!
Jason
