When dealing with the subject of receiving blessings from the Lord but not being thankful for what you have we often make reference to the nation of Israel as they traveled through the wilderness. More than once this group of people received great gifts from the Lord that not only provided needs but a level of comfort and joy. However, within days of the receiving of those blessings they were grumbling and mumbling yet again.
On this topic, Martin Luther once wrote in his book, Table Talk, “The greater God’s gifts and works, the less they are regarded.” How often is this statement so true. How often when a person is being blessed beyond all measure do we here them complaining about what is lacking in their life. We are all guilty of taking this approach at times as well. However, we have also been around that person that has very little and struggles from day to day and heard them speak of the mighty grace of the Lord. These often exhibit a true understanding of how dependent they are upon the Lord.
When Johnson Oatman composed our hymn of study, “Count Your Blessings” some time in the mid 1890’s he had a desire to teach young people to remember to be aware of the amount of blessings in their lives. Johnson was born in New Jersey just before the Civil War and grew up going to churches with his father. Johnson would join the Methodist Episcopal Church at the age of 19 and be ordained to the ministry. He never joined the ranks of the full time pastorate though as he had a desire to retain the finacial stability of the business world so that he would be free to do his work with God’s people.
In 1892 Johnson began writing hymns. He averaged 200 hymns and gospel songs a year totaling over 5,000 in his lifetime. In 1897 “Count Your Blessings” was published for the first time in a song book for young people. It ultimately reflected Johnson’s optimistic faith and desire to be aware of the blessings of the Lord.
“And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.”
This one line so beautifully summarizes the message of this hymn. So often even when we think we are aware of what the Lord has done for us, if we would stop and actually try to count the blessings bestowed upon us individually in the course of one day we would certainly be surprised what the Lord has done. There is simply no way that we can count or even understand all that the Lord has done for us. All we can do is to thank him for his mercy in our lives.
Blessings to you All!
(Source: Then Sings My Soul: 150 of the World’s Greatest Hymn Stories by Robert J. Morgan)