I was blessed today!

Blessed Is Everyone Who Fears the Lord


This is how they are blessed:


Psalm 128


1 Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
who walks in his ways!


Notice that a person who fears the Lord
walks in his ways - obeys his commands.


 2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.


PRODUCTIVITY  - the things you choose to do 
will be blessed; you'll be productive. 


PEACE - it will be well with you; 
even when times are hard, you'll have a settled peace.


 3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;


PARTNER - growing, fruitful, alive;  
Your relationship with your wife will grow.


your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.


PROGENY - shoots grow off the main olive root;
They are alive, and growing, and producing.


 4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
who fears the Lord.


 5 The Lord bless you from Zion!
May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life!


PROSPERITY - Your life will be blessed and 
you'll have influence on the town in which you live.


 6 May you see your children's children!


PERPETUITY - You'll see your grandchildren,
and perhaps your great-grandchildren, and if you teach
them to fear the Lord and walk in His ways, the blessings
will go on and on.


I personally have experienced all of the above.  I have known what it is to be productive, to plant gardens and have them yield plenty of healthy vegetables, to raise chickens and see them grow to plump, healthy birds that nourish our family.  I have seen my children learn and grow in knowledge and grace.  I've had a little influence in the lives of others who have witnessed me walking by faith.  I've known prosperity and perpetuity, as I see my grandchildren learning to love the Lord.


Today, I was blessed by an unexpected phone call from my married son.  Matthew called to tell me that he was doing his paperwork for his business, and in the process he and his wife were going through papers and came upon a box of memories I had passed along.  They were blessed as they read through his baby book and his calendar of the first year of his life.  Matt was astounded as he read his journals, written under orders from Mom, who made him write a journal every day.  He read the things he had written so many years ago, and it brought back vivid memories.  He called to thank me for MAKING him write things down.


What a blessing to hear that my efforts were not in vain.


Blessed are those who walk with the Lord.   They will be blessed with productivity as they give their days to God.  They will have peace in the midst of their busy days.  They will be a faithful partner to their spouse, and together they'll raise up progeny who will humble them and bless them beyond belief.  They'll experience prosperity, not just in riches, but in family and friends.  And this blessing will go on in perpetuity, as their children and their children's children fear the Lord also, and walk in His ways.


Peace be upon Israel!


Blessed is Everyone Who Fears the Lord!