December 20
Zephaniah 1-2
Psalm 144:9-15
Proverbs 30:15-17
Revelation 13:1-10
Blessing
“Blessed are the people of whom this is true; blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.” Psalm 144:15 NIV
Blessing is a good church word. We have the idea that a blessing is a reward we can all expect to receive when we become a Christian. If we behave like good little boys and girls, we will experience God’s blessing. But if we do not act like we are supposed to, then we will face God’s punishment or removal of His blessing. We are told to count our blessings and make sure that we thank God for all the good things He does for us. So, a life that is blessed is a perfect life where we are happy and healthy and have everything we need. This sounds great, but the problem is that it does not line up with reality. And it doesn’t go along with what we find in God’s Word. Sometimes bad things happen to people who are living godly lives. And no one goes through life without any difficulty. We all experience trials, problems, difficulties, and heartache. If being blessed means that you always have good in your life, then no life is truly blessed.
A study of the Hebrew and Greek words that are translated as blessed can give us insight into their deeper meaning.28 The Hebrew word, “asre,” translated as “blessed” in this passage in Psalm 144 means “the goodness and abundance experienced when God rewards you for walking in His ways.” It includes forgiveness, protection, victory, the benefit of God’s presence, but it also includes His discipline and correction. It is a result of a relationship with Him. The difficulties we face produce growth and draw us closer to Him. A life without any problems is not really blessed because it cannot experience the fullness of God that is found in pain and suffering. Another word in Hebrew, baruch or berech, that is translated blessing, means knee, or kneel. The knee is the weakest part of the body, and it expresses the idea that He is our strength when we are weak. Kneeling humbly before Him allows us to experience His blessing in our lives.
The word translated as blessing in the New Testament comes from the Greek word, “makarismos”, which means, “to be indwelt by God through the Holy Spirit, and, because of His indwelling to be fully satisfied.” This definition has nothing to do with good circumstances. It means that we are fully satisfied despite the difficulties we face. We are filled with joy and peace so that we can endure whatever happens in our lives because of His love and mercy. The blessing we receive as people whose God is the Lord is far better than prosperity and good fortune. It is not based on temporal pleasures or feelings of “happiness.” To be blessed is to be satisfied completely. Blessing is not an outward reality, but an inner, spiritual truth.
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