Blessed In Him
His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; All nations shall call Him blessed. Psalm 72:17
What is meant by “men shall be blessed in Him?” The Hebrew word for blessed is ashar. It means happy, blessed, prosperous, successful, straight, right, and contented. It is the name Leah gave her firstborn son because she was happy that others would call her blessed.
We actually gave our youngest son the middle name Asher. He has lived up to every part of that meaning! There aren’t many times you won’t find a smile on his face. That’s how we all should be since we have all been labeled blessed by God. We should be people happy, prosperous, successful, straight, right, and contented. In fact, if we’re not those things, we are not truly living IN HIM.
This is the theme that will be repeated this month as we talk about the blessing because we can’t have the blessing apart from God. Sure, you can try to find things that make you happy, but it will be short-lived. So many people buy the next great gadget, car, phone, etc., hoping that it will provide the happiness they’re after. And although those things can bring enjoyment, they will not sustain happiness or the joy only found in Christ.
The same could be said about being prosperous and successful. Many very prosperous and “successful” people are miserable because they have strived for that status on their own. One of the checks and questions to ask ourselves at the end of the day is, are we content? Money and accolades aside, are we content with who we are on the inside?
How about being straight and right? Have you sacrificed integrity for worldly success? Do you find yourself cutting corners or not telling the whole truth? Do you treat others with respect and honor? These are questions to really ask ourselves and answer honestly.
When we are IN Jesus, we are IN love. We are patient, kind, not envious or prideful, rude, and selfish. It will feel to our flesh that we are acting weak. However, if you humble yourself, God can lift you up to be more successful than you ever thought possible.
Dear Lord, show me where I need to make corrections to be found IN you and reap the benefits of the blessing in my life. Amen.