“They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing” (Psalm 34:10).
“I want. I want. I need. I need. There are so many things I want and need.” That little ditty is comical but true. We want it all.
From the beginning, God promised good things to those who followed Him. He told Abram, “I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2).
What does it mean to be blessed? Parents bless their children, friends bless each other, and God blesses us. When we are blessed, we have the favor and best wishes of another. While it is always nice for someone to speak a blessing into our lives, a blessing from God goes beyond good wishes; it includes the power to bring those benefits to pass.
How do we become recipients of God’s blessings? The answer is simple. When we obey God’s Word, we have a good life. When we disobey, things are more difficult than necessary. The Bible tells us, “The way of transgressors is hard” (Proverbs 13:15).
We shy away from words like obedience and submission. Their negative connotations suggest we will be left with less, not more.
God’s approach is the opposite of ours. “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8). When He tells us to obey and submit to His will for our lives, He promises fabulous benefits.
“And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: and all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God” (Deuteronomy 28:1-2).
Can you imagine being pursued by blessings? Everywhere we go and everything we do under the umbrella of God’s approval?
Just as absolute, not observing God’s commandments has dire consequences.
“But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee” (Deuteronomy 28:15).
Is obedience to God’s Word really so important? If we desire all the good things—God’s blessings, anointing, favor, provision, and approval—it is critical.
Obedience to God’s Word is more than a suggestion or a good idea. It is a sin issue. Whenever we refuse to submit, when we are stubborn and rebel, we are sinning. “Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry” (I Samuel 15:23).
Sin separates us from God. (See Isaiah 59:2.) In addition, it prevents God’s blessings from coming our way. “Your sins have withholden good things from you” (Jeremiah 5:25).
Radical obedience guarantees radical blessings. “No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11).
When God blesses our lives, He does more than provide us with good things. Like Abram’s promise, the bounty and benefits overflow and splash onto the lives of those around us. (See Genesis 12:1-3.) Not only are we blessed, but we become conduits of His blessings. God uses us to touch, love, and lift others.
A life blessed by God is ours for the taking. The decision is easy. Every day we simply say, “Dear God, I’ll do it Your way!”
