Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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BLESSING OF OBEDIENCE

Psalms 112
 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous. Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice. (Psalms 112: 4,5)
Psalm 112 is a tribute to the godly person. It states how blessed the one who obeys God’s commands is, and how blessed with justice, righteousness, goodness, security, might and wealth such a godly person’s generations would be. In contrast, the psalmist also points out that the wicked person will be displeased, gnash teeth in frustration, waste away, and that such a person’s yearnings will come to nothing. What is remarkable is that for the upright person “even in darkness light dawns” and that person “will have no fear of bad news,” because the godly person’s heart is steadfast and trusts in the Lord.

What does it mean to be blessed? In modern times saying “Bless you” has become a fancier way of saying thank you, or a routine and sometimes meaningless way to acknowledge a sneeze. In actuality, “Bless you” is a phrase that carries the divine power to change the course of an individual’s life and the course of future generations. Some of the difficult stories to comprehend in the Bible are those in which God asks for something inconsistent with the human understanding of His goodness. One such story is when God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son. Yet, out of that incident comes the revelation of God’s blessing to one who is ready to unconditionally obey Him. The rest is history. God’s blessing on Abraham was the divine power that has lasted for generations.

How do we claim this blessing? The greatest blessing that God gave the human race is through the sacrifice of His own Son, Jesus Christ, so “that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Hence, believing in Jesus and obeying His teachings would make one blessed, and be filled with the fruits of the Spirit, which “is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). This blessing would be upon our future generations, and keep us from despair and frustration even in the darkest and fearful moments of life. It would be the blessing that comforts us at all times in the confidence that, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Psalms 23:4).

Prayer: Dear God, you created light out of darkness by the power of your word. Bless me, and teach me to obey you so that I and my future generations may be blessed to see your light in all of life’s circumstances. Amen

Dr. Mathew T Thomas, Washington DC



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