July 21 – Blessings Forever (Psalm 112)

“Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever.”(Psalm 112:6)

IN WORD:
The promises for those who delight in God’s commands are astounding. Anyone making us such promises today would be greeted with our deepest suspicions. But we know the Source of this promise. He is no slick salesman. This promise is the Word of the living God, our absolute anchor in a world of inconsistencies.
What does God promise those who have found that unlikely combination of fear and delight (v.1)? Blessed descendants (v.2); lasting prosperity (v.3); light even in the worst times (v.4); goodness (v.5); freedom from fear (v.7); security & victory (v.8); and honor (v.9). The extravagance of the promise overwhelms us. We’re ready to sign on the dotted line.
What’s the catch? The catch is a heart that fears God without dreading Him; a heart that wants His holiness rather than fleeing from it. The fallen nature finds God’s Word restricting and confining, a difficult limit imposed on freedom-loving impulses. The godly nature, on the other hand, loves God’s Word — even its hardest stumbling blocks. It may not find His Word easy or comfortable, but it finds the prospect of Christlikeness compelling and ultimately worthwhile. It pursues holiness with a passion. Like the blessed 4th Beatitude, it is driven by a craving for righteousness (Matt. 5:6). The hunger and thirst of the one who is fascinated and delighted with God will be filled.

IN DEED:
Who would not want such promises to be theirs? Only the highly cynical, who doubt that God can accomplish a radical change of the heart’s desires within them. In their final analysis of the offer, the condition of righteousness is too prohibitive. They know themselves too well, and God not well enough. They give it up as hopeless.
We cannot afford to pass up such treasures. Blessings upon us and our descendants? Security and freedom from anxiety? We must ask God to put His delight in our hearts. It’s the only way to His ultimate blessing.

“All earthly delights are but ‘streams;’ but God is the ocean.”
-Jonathan Edwards-