God’s blessing is not fragile. Too often we view God’s blessing as some delicate mist. If we make the slightest wrong move *p o o f* it vanishes away. Preachers and churches often craft statements like If you don’t do [insert topic de jour here] then you won’t get God’s blessing. Another way we see this tyranny is when making decisions. We struggle to figure out which choice God will bless. Why? Cause if we choose wrongly, *p o o f*… This view treats God’s blessing as a form of tyranny. This misses the point of the Gospel, and misunderstands God’s love.

The Rock
The last few weeks I’ve been reflecting on the life of Peter. Peter and I both have what I like to call “hoof in mouth disease.” Peter was passionate and full of life. This often got him into trouble. Yet, I wouldn’t hesitate for a moment to say that God blessed Peter and his ministry. Peter denied Jesus. Three times, actually. This same Peter preached the first sermon of the church. Peter reached out to gentiles (Acts 10), was care-fronted by Paul for hypocrisy (Gal 2) and yet wrote to prolific letters (1&2 Peter). Peter died upside down on a cross. God blessed his ministry.

A Prostitute, A Foreigner, An Adulteress
Rahab was a prostitute. She’s in Jesus’ genealogy of Matthew. Hebrews 11 lists her as a women of faith. Ruth acted in faith and married Boaz. She’s also in Jesus genealogy. A book written about her faithfulness in pursuing God stands in contrast to the time of Judges when “everyone did what was right in their own eyes.” Israel did not view foreigner’s well at that time. Bathsheba committed adultery with King David. She’s also in Jesus’ genealogy. David was still considered a man after God’s own heart. Glaring issues, still blessed by God.

The Gospel
God’s blessings is not fragile because the Gospel is not fragile! The grace and mercy of the Gospel overcomes the fragility of God’s blessings. To treat God’s blessing as something delicate is to fundamentally misunderstand the Gospel. Jesus died ONCE of ALL our sin. Jesus rose again, defeating sin and death. While we were yet sinners Christ died for the ungodly. Jesus acted before we were worthy of being blessed. God’s blessing isn’t connected to our actions as much as its connected to the Gospel.

Wisdom & Faith
Act based on wisdom and faith. Being in Christ doesn’t mean we should do anything what we want. Does God bless sin? No. Bible makes that pretty clear. Two key themes in Scripture point to how God desires for us to act: 1) acting based on wisdom and 2) acting based on faith. They are tired together. Make the best informed choice you can make and step out on faith. Seek wise counsel, search the Scripture, pray throughout the process and act in faith. That makes God happy.

What if I choose wrong?
John says that if we confess our sins Jesus is faithful and just to forgive. Why? The Gospel is the foundation of God blessings us. God even uses our mistakes to conform and sharpen us into the image of Christ. Be less worried about error and more concerned about gaining wisdom and acting in faith. God’s blessing isn’t that fragile. In fact, it’s His desire to bless those who are in Christ. Yes, we can squander God’s blessing. But, look at Peter, God can bless big messes. Some trophies of Grace just take more polishing than others.

The bottom line:
We shouldn’t use “God’s blessing” as a form of tyranny. Rather, God’s blessing should point us to the Gospel. God’s blessing and love are not fragile things. They produced for us a unwaivering relationship with Him through the death burial and resurrection of Jesus. If we make mistakes, the Cross covers it. Focus on gaining wisdom and walking in faith. God even uses our mistakes to form us more into