Blessed: God's Gift of Love

by Mary J. Moerbe, Christopher W. Mitchell

Bless you! We say it because someone has suffered loss or has made a positive difference in someones life. We say it because someone sneezed. But what does bless you even mean?

141 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2016

About the author

Mary Jackquelyn Moerbe is a free-lance writer and rostered deaconess--a mercy worker in the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. She and her husband, Rev. Ned A. Moerbe, live in Oklahoma with their six children. She loves theology, words, food, and directing her small church choir.

However, none of that means she won't read really, really random books. Especially free ones she finds off BookBub. :)

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was interested in reading Mary J. Moerbe's Blessed because this word has always fascinated me. If you read the Bible, you'll see it popping up everywhere. It's in the Old Testament and the New. It's something that both God does and that we do as well. I had a general, fuzzy-and-vague notion of what it meant to bless and to be blessed, but, I wanted to know more. (I do think it's one of the words that is easier to use than it is to define!)

What should you know about the book? It is more scholarly than devotional. The book examines all the different uses of the Hebrew word(s) that are translated as blessed. (To be precise, the Hebrew root brk). The book also considers all the different contexts that the word is used. The book traces the word--the concept--throughout redemptive history. So the book isn't necessarily a warm-and-fuzzy book of Bible promises to feed and nurture your soul as it is a meaty book for you to engage with and digest. At times it does become technical.

Favorite quotes:

Blessings are not about us; rather, blessings are about God who gives them.

There is a temptation to believe that blessings are always accompanied by strength, happiness, courage, or wealth. Really, one can be blessed and struggle. One can be blessed and weak, afraid, or persecuted. One can be blessed during calamities and death.

God does not rely on us: we rely on Him, and the power of Christ does not need our strength, courage, or anything else. In Christ, we are highly favored, which means blessed, by our heavenly Father.

When our heavenly Father saw the fall into sin, He did not first address our emotions, self-esteem, or other needs humanly perceived. He entered the battle for our souls.

A name from God marks the entrance into a relationship with God.

God both blesses to deliver and delivers to bless. He offers peace and rescue.

It takes God's Word to reveal God's blessings. And, as a sign of His favor, no earthly blessing is intended to be a distraction from God's greatest gift: His Son.

He blesses before we praise, even as He gives us life before we seek it.

Table of Contents:
Misconceptions
Language
Creation Blessings
Abraham
Isaac
The Patriarchal Blessing Promises
Conditional Covenantal Blessing
The Blessed
Human Blessings
Seek Blessings
Receive Blessings

[Anna Mussmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blessed: God’s Gift of Love by Mary Moerbe and Christopher Mitchell is an in-depth examination of a single word. “Blessing” is one of those terms that is rich with theological meaning yet has also developed extensive, idiomatic cultural usage. Even non-Christians say “bless you” when someone sneezes--or tell each other to “count your blessings.” Among Christians, the word is used even more extensively, often as a synonym for “anything good that has happened to me,” but also as a way to talk about prayer or God’s will.

The thing is, Scriptural usage of the word isn’t entirely simple, either. It might seem obvious that we should ask God to bless us, but why would we also say things like, “Bless we the Lord?” Why would anyone bless inanimate objects (including meals)? Why would God promise the blessing of peace and success to some individuals or nations, yet also say, “Blessed are those who are persecuted?”

The authors say, “Relying on human instinct or common language is not sufficient to come to a Spirit-led understanding of blessings. Christian lessons about blessings must be revealed.” That is why they have taken Dr. Mitchell’s dissertation on the Hebrew word “brk” as it appears in Scripture and rewritten the material in order to make it accessible to lay readers.

The book looks at misconceptions about blessing and the way we use the word in common culture (I especially appreciated the differentiation between “success” and “blessing”). It also examines many examples of the way “brk” is used throughout Scripture. The topic is an important one and I'm glad to see this resource on CPH's list.

As I made my way through the text, I admit I struggled to remain focused. Most theological books for laypeople are written with a driving thesis that helps create the feeling of momentum. This volume is instead an examination of many details and examples. It was interesting while I was reading, but once I put it down, it was harder to feel compelled to pick it up again, and it was more difficult to remember what I had learned.

We live in a world where paying attention to anything technical is increasingly unpopular. Reading a book like this now and then is a worthwhile exercise. Ultimately, however, I would recommend using it as the basis for a discussion group or Bible study. Camaraderie and conversation is a great way to dig more deeply into material like that found in this book.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remind me tomorrow to post a review on Amazon.com! Pretty please?

While I thoroughly enjoyed this book, at times I had to struggle to finish. Part of the problem lies in a distracted life: this is not a fluffy and easy read. I had to go slowly, pay attention, and THINK about the implication of what it means to be BLESSED.

I'm thinking that part of the problem also came in during the conversion from a "real paper and ink book" to e-book. The double-quote punctuation mark seemed to replace various other punctuation marks for no apparent reason. Granted, it was most frequent with apostrophes and single-quote marks, but…

[Becky Filipek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took me a long time to get through. I just couldn't quite get into it to breeze through it. However, it was full of good information and insight.

"Blessed" was an interesting word study of how the Hebrew word brk is used in Scripture. I love the conclusion:
"[God] comes to us with blessing through a virgin's womb and a Father's love, by His promise and benediction, in good times and in bad, and death shall never part us. May God look upon us and all nations with His favor and give us His peace. Amen."

[Jonathan Schkade · Rating 3 out of 5]

My real rating is probably 3.5 stars (sorry, that wasn't an option). The content is solid, the discussion is deep, and there are many great insights. On the downside, it is a bit of a slog, with the style perhaps a bit too academic at times.

Nonetheless, it was an interesting read into a topic most of us don't have the time nor the expertise to explore on our own, and I came away understanding more than I did going in--the goal of most good nonfiction. Worth your time if you're patient and want to learn more about what it means to be "Blessed" in the Bible.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a day when #hashtag #blessed has become rampant, this book is an honest, insightful look at what the word means in a Biblical context. I particularly appreciated the reminder that what IS a blessing in God's eyes doesn't always feel like one to our impatient, short-sighted selves, and that the blessings come TO us in worship.