By Brenda Black
“As Jesus was saying these
things, a woman in the crowd called out, 'Blessed is the mother who
gave you birth and nursed you.'
“He replied, 'Blessed rather are
those who hear the word of God and obey it.'” (Luke 11:27-28)
It's true, you know. Though a mother
is to be praised for nurturing and teaching her child, the child who
adheres to her wisdom and love is the one most blessed. While the
mother is filled with joy for her child's wise choices, the son or
daughter reaps the long-lasting benefits!
Jesus' bold statement is not spoken
disrespectfully as a way to disregard the godly woman who bore Him.
Rather, he is reinforcing what He taught time and again to his
followers – walk worthy, live holy, receive life abundantly.
He taught the benefits of a life of
obedience from a mountain top: “Blessed are those who hunger and
thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the
merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in
heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they
will be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:6-9)
He helped Peter discover all he would
gain through a life of faith when he sat down and had a heart to
heart with his disciples.
“When Jesus came to the region of
Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, 'Who do people say the Son
of Man is?'
“They replied, 'Some say John the
Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the
prophets.'
“'But what about you?' he asked.
'Who do you say I am?'
“Simon Peter answered, 'You are the
Christ, the Son of the living God.'
“Jesus replied, 'Blessed are you,
Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by
my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this
rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome
it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you
bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on
earth will be loosed in heaven.'” (Matthew 16:13-20)
Jesus must have been thrilled to hear
such conviction come from Peter. He surely was proud of how far this
motley crew of of hand-picked hopefuls had come in their short time
together. How sweet, then, to impart such a blessing and know that it
would be for Peter's own good, as well as the kingdom's. Parents feel
such pride, teachers experience such satisfaction. And our Holy
Savior smiles when we get it!
It does my heart good to have sons who
choose rightly, for then I know the promises of which they will
profit: “The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry...Blessings
crown the head of the righteous...The memory of the righteous will be
a blessing...The wise in heart accept commands...The man of integrity
walks securely...The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of
life...Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning...Wise men store
up knowledge...The wages of the righteous bring them life...He who
heeds discipline shows the way to life...The fear of the Lord adds
length to life...The prospect of the righteous is joy...The way of
the Lord is a refuge for the righteous...” (Proverbs 10)
How much will they individually be
lavished by God for clean living and obedience to Christ's teachings
if I point them to Him? Incredibly more than I could ever give!
Many in the world want to live off of
the laurels of godly ancestors. But each must answer for his own
actions. Don't get me wrong. It's great to have noble parents who
follow God faithfully. I desperately pray that I have been a godly
role model for my family. God blesses such intentional living. But no
one can live on another's standing with God. We have to know the
Savior personally and grow as a believer to reap the rewards hidden
in His Word that He wants to lavish upon our lives on a daily basis.
“All your sons will be taught by the
Lord, and great will be your children's peace,” says Isaiah in
chapter 54. He is speaking to the House of Israel, but God's
promises are for all those ingrafted and called His dearly loved. So
when Isaiah concludes that “This is a heritage of the servants of
the Lord,” then we can rejoice! Everyone of us, from generation to
generation, who choose LIFE are blessed when we hear God's Word and
obey it!
1 comment:
Obedience is not an option...it's a must in the Christian walk.
Just checking back for any new posts you may have written.
I’ve been a follower on your blog for a while now and would like to invite you to visit and perhaps follow me back. Sorry I took so long for the invitation.
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