“What has become of your blessedness? (Galatians 4:15 ESV)
Paul probably saw the “blessedness” in the Galatians as coming out of their acceptance of and belief in the message that he was preaching and having received the Holy Spirit. It was manifest in a sense of joy and knowing the acceptance and approval of God.
Paul’s concern that, by lapsing into legalism and other religious restraints, the Galatians had lost their sense of joy and wonder and “blessedness”
Would we count such a “blessedness” as part of our present Christian experience?
Does that sense of blessedness continue to be significant for us, or has it faded under the pressure of worldly things, religious legalism, and a lack of attention being paid to its nurture and development?
In 2 Timothy 1:6 Paul urges Timothy to “fan into flame the gift of God” and although the nature of the gift is not mentioned the same principle applies to all aspects of our Christian faith and life.
A lack of attention paid to the foundations of faith, prayer, study of the Scriptures, and participation in the fellowship of believers will allow the flame of “blessedness” to dim quickly – even to the extent of being barely noticeable to others, or even oneself.
What would your answer be to Paul’s question; “What has become of your blessedness?”
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (2 (Timothy 1 6-7 ESV)
In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. (Galatians 4:37 ESV)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Eph 1:3-10 ESV)
