Thursday, March 10, 2011

Stepping Up: Week 4 - Day 2

Day 2 - Enjoy the Blessing

Psalm 128
1 How happy are those who fear the LORD—all who follow his ways!
2 You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How happy you will be! How rich your life!
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine, flourishing within your home.  And look at all those children! There they sit around your table as vigorous and healthy as young olive trees.
4 That is the LORD's reward for those who fear him.
5 May the LORD continually bless you from Zion. May you see Jerusalem prosper as long as you live.
6 May you live to enjoy your grandchildren. And may Israel have quietness and peace.

What words jump out at you when you read this Psalm?  Maybe you see happy, enjoy, rich, fruitful, flourishing, vigorous and healthy, reward, prosper, quietness and peace.

Doesn't that all sound delightful and how amazing that all of that is available to each of us!  We can be continually blessed and we are told how in verses 1 and 4, simply by fearing the Lord.

This is actually an unfortunate translation into our English language.  When we think of fear we generally think of being afraid or scared.  But the original word in the Hebrew language also means:
- to stand in awe of, be awed,
- to reverence, honour, respect

Changes the feel of the idea to fear the Lord doesn't it. Rather than be scared of God I am instead in total awe of Him and because of that I honor and respect Him. 

Luke 11:28 He replied, "But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice."


Isaiah 33:6 In that day he will be your sure foundation, providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.


The blessings come when you 'fear' the Lord and walk in obedience.  Submitting to God and immersing yourself in His Word is your treasure...you are rewarded with salvation, wisdom and knowledge.

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