Psalm 128:1-2 - Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in His ways! You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.
What does it mean to be successful? Could you easily recognize a successful person if you saw one? We imagine that such a person would appear confident and perhaps well-dressed, as if on the way to an important business meeting. People who seek earthly success measured in wealth, power, or popularity, try to do all the right things to achieve their goals. Step by step they follow their own dreams or the advice of others to get where they want to be. Books, articles, and blogs suggest ways to apply for a job or to make a good impression in an interview. Other sources offer advice on relationships in the workplace or advancing in a business, although individuals must decide for themselves just what it means to be successful. Our psalm verse is not concerned with worldly success but with those who are blessed. What does it mean to be blessed? Could you recognize a blessed person if you passed one on the street or if you looked in a mirror?
People who are blessed are those who enjoy God's favor. The blessing of God is not earned, as workers earn their wages. The blessing of God is a gift, a condition of our new identity as His children, adopted in Baptism. We who are blessed fear the Lord, that is, we humbly acknowledge His majesty and power. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we seek to obey His commands. When God gave His Commandments to the people of Israel, He first reminded them of who He is and what He had done for them. "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery" (Exodus 20:2). This same God, the only God, is the LORD we worship in reverent fear. Our gracious God acted in awesome majesty to save us, majesty that was hidden and veiled in the suffering and death of His Son, and revealed in the bright glory of Jesus' resurrection.
This is the God in whom and by whom we are blessed. As blessed children of God, we want to obey the Lord who saved us. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we walk in His ways. It is not always easy to follow in the footsteps of Jesus our Savior. We will bear the cross of suffering, as Jesus did, and that can be a difficult, although willingly borne, burden. A life of reverent fear and honor toward the Lord will not be regarded as popular or successful in a world that does not acknowledge His Lordship. Yet, still we will fear the Lord and walk in His ways. Why? We are blessed!
WE PRAY: Lord, I pray that others will see that I am blessed as I fear You and walk in Your ways. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler.
Reflection Questions:
1. Success in this world is worth striving for. Can success be a hindrance to trusting in God? How?
2. How does fearing the Lord contribute to a person's blessedness?
3. What are some of the greatest blessings in your life?
Today's Bible Readings: Isaiah 47-49 Romans 9:1-15
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