“The LORD’s hand of blessing will rest on Jerusalem.” Isaiah tells us.

Wow!  I want God’s hand of blessing to rest on my life!  How about you?

This is the 8th year in a row that I am reading through the entire Bible and I am excited that, once again, my bookmark is over halfway through God’s book.  I took a picture of it for you and included the view I have had from my balcony these last two weeks as God has blessed me with some relaxing and cool beach time in California.  A great escape from the 115 degree temperatures in Phoenix where I live.

On this 8th time through the Chronological Bible, God is confirming the same message I get everytime.  God wants me to focus on two things –

Loving him – which includes listening and obeying.

Loving others.

When I am consistent and dedicated to these two things, God’s hand of blessing rests on my life.

That doesn’t mean my life is perfect – as evidenced by my son being killed in the line of duty 3 years ago.  This doesn’t mean everything is easy.  It doesn’t mean I don’t pay consequences for bad choices I make.  It doesn’t mean my checking account is never empty.  It doesn’t mean I never have to say I am sorry.

What it means is that God walks beside me through all of the pain and muck this world brings my way.  It means he gives my life purpose and meaning.  It means that God gives me peace and strength when the storms of life crash into me.

It means that he is working things out for my good just like he promised.  I have a story to share with you.  You may remember one of my blogs a couple of weeks ago where I shared that I was really frustrated about something that I was trying to make happen for many months and it just wasn’t happening.  So I – finally – gave it to God and asked him to do what he wanted which included nothing if this wasn’t supposed to happen.  I kept my eyes open in case he was going to show me that I had a part in what he wanted to happen.  Every time I thought about it and started to fret, I would pray, laying it back at God’s feet.

Last week, God unfolded his plan which was – of course – perfect.  And he took care of it in 3 days.  Start to finish.  Done.  Better than I had imagined.  In his timing with the people he wanted to be involved.

This is what happens when God lays his hand of blessing on my life.

Thank you, Abba Father.