What Does It Mean To Be Blessed?
The answer to the question posed in the title is found in Psalm 32.
Psalm 32 (NAS)
A Psalm of David. A Maskil. How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered! 2 How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit! 3 When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away Through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah.
5 I acknowledged my sin to Thee, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"; And Thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin. Selah.
6 Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found; Surely in a flood of great waters they shall not reach him. 7 Thou art my hiding place; Thou dost preserve me from trouble; Thou dost surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. 9 Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding, Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check, Otherwise they will not come near to you. 10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked; But he who trusts in the LORD, lovingkindness shall surround him. 11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones, And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.
One of the biggest challenges for pastors, in my opinion, is to show people their true needs. Perhaps you are aware of the concept of "felt needs." These are the things in life that we feel or think we cannot do without. These are the answers to the question: "How has God blessed you?" I'm suggesting that our answer to that question should be David's answer: "God has blessed me by forgiving my sins and not imputing iniquity to my account." Is this how we think of blessing? Our greatest needs are not comfort or even health. We are in need because we are by nature children of wrath, enemies of God. Our state before God is comparable with someone who is tied down on a railroad track, with the train fast approaching. The most important thing to that person is not their material possessions, position or realm of influence. Are we in a different situation than this poor soul on the tracks? Jesus not only untied our bounds, but he voluntarily laid down in our place and was crushed violently by the oncoming train. Does that change your priorities? How are you blessed?
Continue to read this Psalm and notice how the blessed man is guided:
- Out of the peril of sin and the anger of God (verses 1,2)
- Enduring the "heavy hand" of God to bring about repentance (3,4)
- In the forgiveness of sin and the pardon of guilt. (5,6)
- To pray to this fountain of life, while He may be found. (6)
- In the way he or she should go, through the wise counsel of the Lord (8,9)
- In the surrounding of lovingkindness (10)
- In the all surpassing joy that is only found in Jesus! (11)
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