The Blessing Flow
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host:
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
In the video shared above, I’m singing “Doxology” live with my Brave Worship friends inside of Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland. Written by Thomas Ken, a man who was orphaned in childhood, this classic hymn was first published in 1709. I love the way it “flows” off of the tongue while singing it, and the powerful simplicity of its words.
Do you have “The Blessing Flow” in your life? I’ve found that the more I’m “blessing the blessings”, the more blessings I experience flowing in.
What do I mean by “blessing the blessings”?
I thank God aloud for ordinary, everyday things I once took for granted as ordinary, everyday things.
Clean, running water. Food in the fridge. The pillow I lay my head on every night. Gas in my car. The ability to walk and talk, to see and hear…to read and write.
As I go throughout my day, I make a habit of acknowledging aloud The One who makes my daily habits possible. Here’s just a few examples:
When I make a pot of coffee, I thank God for supplying the clean water, the coffee, and the electricity that runs the coffee pot. I ask Him to bless the water and the coffee to the nourishment of my body as I drink it.
When I take a shower, I thank God for the clean, hot water and I ask Him to bless it. I ask for His “rivers of living water to flow from within me” as John 7:38 says.
When I brush my teeth, I thank God that I have healthy teeth, a tooth brush, and toothpaste, and indoor plumbing. There are many in the world who don’t have these things.
When I put on my essential oils, I thank God for making the plants with these healing oils, before they were ever in the bottles. I ask Him to bless them to the nourishment and healing of my body.
When I pull out of the driveway, I thank God for my car, for the driveway, and for the beautiful land He has blessed us with. I thank Him for our mailbox, and for the postal service we are blessed to have in our country.
Are you getting the picture? It may seem extreme, but the Bible exhorts us to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18a). Praying without ceasing is not hard to do; it just takes intentionality.
And I’ve found in my experience, living in “The Blessing Flow” is really fun! It’s like playing the game, “I Spy.” I spy a red car. I spy a yellow dandelion. I spy an ice cream shop. “I SPY ANOTHER BLESSING! THANK YOU, GOD!” The more blessings I notice and praise God for, the more I notice the blessings. Gratitude in all things becomes a happy habit, and praising Him makes me more aware of just how much He really does bless me, every single day.
If this is a new concept to you, start practicing now! I promise, it will bless you!
A Blessing Flow Prayer
Dear God,
I praise You from Whom all blessings flow! Thank You for my home, my family, my friends, and my health. Thank You for food and water, for plumbing and electricity. Thank you for the hope that comes from You in difficult times. Thank you for the gifts and talents You have blessed me with and for showing me Your purpose for my life. Thank You for Your WORD that is Your love letter to me, and my guide for life. Thank You for the gift of salvation that I have through Your son, Jesus. I love You and need You, this day and every day, and I’m so thankful for Your grace and mercy! Amen.
“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” -2 Corinthians 9:8 (NIV)
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” -James 1:17 (NIV)