The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26

Dear Daily Devotion Reader:

Every once in a while I receive an e-mail from someone who teaches me a lot. This devotion was written by such an individual. I pray it may touch you as it has me. It is, with the most minor of modifications, shared with you, as it was me.

Pastor Ken Klaus

Last spring, one of the members of a Bible study I'm involved with issued a fairly simple challenge. The challenge was to change the way we respond to the inquiry, "How are you?" It's an inquiry most of us hear numerous times each day.

I imagine your response is probably like that of countless others; "Fine, thanks. How are you?"

The challenge we were issued was to respond to that question this way: "Blessed by the Lord." Still acceptable, although not ideal, is to simply respond, "Blessed." Either response can be used with or without "How are you?"

It's a simple, yet powerful way of sharing our Christian witness.

In fact, one of those folks I know now responds to the question, "How are you?" with "Blessed and highly favored." Another, a person who works in a local supermarket I frequent, will go out of her way to ask how I am when she sees me. That's because she so loves being blessed by the response. Another person from my church recently shared with me how much he enjoys hearing that response from me.

That person knows some of the trials I went through because of cancer affecting my neck and throat. When he sees me, I know he sees the tracheotomy tube in my throat, too. He has said there are numerous reasons he might expect me to curse God, and that to hear me respond that I am "Blessed by the Lord," accompanied by a smile that underlines the blessings is, to him, a heartwarming and powerful witness to the glory of God.

To your closing, "May God bless your day," again, I say, thanks.

And, my challenge to you and all of the LHM staff and everyone is this: "Whenever anyone asks, "How are you?" respond with "Blessed by the Lord."

As always, be blessed, and be a blessing,

In HIS Service,

Steve Illich

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, for the cloud of witnesses that surround us, I give thanks. For blessings unacknowledged, today I give thanks. Now, dear Lord, may I, because of Jesus Christ who has saved me, be a blessing to others. In His Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: Lamentations 3-5    Hebrews 13

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