God Bless You

God Bless You

Na Zdorovie. Salud. Gesundheit. A sneeze can elicit a number of responses, including “God bless you.” But have you ever wondered where that expression came from? Although no one’s certain, some believe it originated in AD 590 under Pope Gregory I when an outbreak of bubonic plague found its way to Rome. Sneezing was considered an early symptom, so it’s thought that “God bless you” became a short prayer spoken over Mr. or Mrs. Achoo so they wouldn’t get sick or infect others!

Other theories have existed too. Some folks worried that an individual’s soul could be thrown from the body during a sneeze. Others felt sure the act was a defense mechanism for getting rid of an evil spirit. In either case, it wouldn’t hurt to invoke God’s blessing, right? Hence, a phrase was born. Fortunately, you don’t have to unleash a massive sneeze to obtain God’s blessing. The Bible points out a number of activities sure to gain the Lord’s favor. Here are a few key ones:

• Obedience: James 1:25 explains that, if you study and observe God’s perfect law, “God will bless you for doing it.” Similarly, there’s also a reward for obeying your parents (see Ephesians 6:1-3).
• Faithful Service: Jesus uses a parable in Matthew 25:14-30 to illustrate how much God values our wise investments on his behalf and our good stewardship of the time and resources entrusted to us. The master praises the servant and says, “Let’s celebrate together!” (25:21, 23).
• Generous Giving: The apostle Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 that, like a farmer, we will reap the amount we sow. The payoff comes in verse 8, where Paul says, “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.”

Don’t wait for someone to acknowledge a sneeze. Look for opportunities to invoke God’s many blessings—and be a blessing to others—by obeying, serving, and giving as generously as our heavenly Father does. He loves you and can’t wait to demonstrate it.

Daddy-Daughter Time

Take a moment to count your blessings together. Have you ever received one that seemed to be a by-product of obedience or faithfulness on your part?

Learn more about what really happens when you sneeze. If you search online for “anatomy of a sneeze,” you’ll find an illustrated analysis courtesy of the Washington Post. Want to learn about a cough? That’s there too!

What’s The Word?

If you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.   James 1:25