The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 128:1-3a,
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"Blessed are all who fear the Lord,
who walk in obedience to him.
You will eat the fruit of your labor;
blessings and prosperity will be yours.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;…"
I may not be the brightest light bulb in the hardware store, but it appears to me this psalm is addressed to the men in the congregation. We are told that a man who fears the Lord and expresses that by walking in obedience to him will be blessed.
That blessing encompasses enjoying the "fruit of your labor", blessings, prosperity, a wife that is described as a fruitful vine in a man's house and the blessing of children. It is that blessing of a good wife, that "fruitful vine" that captures my eye this morning.
I don't think the psalm promises us that all marital problems evaporate when we fear the Lord, but that all things being equal, it just may be that the "blessedness of holy matrimony" might be beyond reach if we are short-changing the Lord's due from us. The difficulty we might have with our wife is that the Lord is attempting to gain our attention through her.
When we come into God's family, we bring with us warts and all - all our shortcomings and blemishes. We are told that the Lord begins to refine us and develop within us the character of Jesus Christ. We all face that process.
The writer of Hebrews speaks about this. "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:7-11.
I don't know about you, but when I embraced the Lord in faith, there remained much (much!) room for me to grow in my reverence and fear of the Lord as expressed by walking in obedience to him. I'm still in the process! After all these years!
In any event, it became apparent to me years ago that God often uses those in our lives to shape and mold us into what he wants us to become. Often that is the person closest to us.
If you are having a struggle with your wife, consider it. It just may be the Lord is attempting to gain your attention - to stretch and mold you into a life of walking in obedience to him.
By the way, I do think this works both ways… but since this psalm is addressed to us men, I need to keep mindful of it - it is counsel to me.
who walk in obedience to him.
You will eat the fruit of your labor;
blessings and prosperity will be yours.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;…"
I may not be the brightest light bulb in the hardware store, but it appears to me this psalm is addressed to the men in the congregation. We are told that a man who fears the Lord and expresses that by walking in obedience to him will be blessed.
That blessing encompasses enjoying the "fruit of your labor", blessings, prosperity, a wife that is described as a fruitful vine in a man's house and the blessing of children. It is that blessing of a good wife, that "fruitful vine" that captures my eye this morning.
I don't think the psalm promises us that all marital problems evaporate when we fear the Lord, but that all things being equal, it just may be that the "blessedness of holy matrimony" might be beyond reach if we are short-changing the Lord's due from us. The difficulty we might have with our wife is that the Lord is attempting to gain our attention through her.
When we come into God's family, we bring with us warts and all - all our shortcomings and blemishes. We are told that the Lord begins to refine us and develop within us the character of Jesus Christ. We all face that process.
The writer of Hebrews speaks about this. "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:7-11.
I don't know about you, but when I embraced the Lord in faith, there remained much (much!) room for me to grow in my reverence and fear of the Lord as expressed by walking in obedience to him. I'm still in the process! After all these years!
In any event, it became apparent to me years ago that God often uses those in our lives to shape and mold us into what he wants us to become. Often that is the person closest to us.
If you are having a struggle with your wife, consider it. It just may be the Lord is attempting to gain your attention - to stretch and mold you into a life of walking in obedience to him.
By the way, I do think this works both ways… but since this psalm is addressed to us men, I need to keep mindful of it - it is counsel to me.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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