Fear the Lord

When I first read Psalm 128 earlier this week,  the first thing that came to mind was an Instagram post.  You know the one…the one with the family enjoying a perfect day at the beach?  Or, the last day of school pic where all the kids are shown with perfect grades and honors?  Or, the mom whipping up the gourmet dinner and making it look so easy?  Or, (last one) the picture of the remodeled, perfectly decorated house?  These are glimpses into people’s lives that we are exposed to daily, especially if we look at any social media.  They have the opportunity to encourage and motivate us, but they also have the ability to make us feel “less than.”  

Read through Psalm 128 (it’s only 6 verses:)

1Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways!  2You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;  you shall be blessed and it shall be well with you.  3Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house;  your children will be like olive shoots around your table.  4Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.  5The Lord bless you from Zion!  May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life!  6May you see your children’s children!  Peace be upon Israel!

Psalm 128 (ESV)

Wow!  Reading through the Psalm we see the picture of a perfect family.  Kind of like looking at Instagram posts.  This is where reality hits because, none of us have this ideal or perfect family! None of us have a perfect family here on earth, but we will all experience the blessing of an ideal family in heaven.

God may or may not bless you with marriage or children in this life.  But, the promise of Psalm 128 remains – “Blessed are all who fear the Lord.”  God has promised to bless all those who fear him and walk in His ways.  When you long for the same things God longs for, you will see your desires fulfilled.  

This Psalm teaches us that there is a direct relationship between our attitudes and actions and God’s blessing in our life.  God’s blessing is available to everyone, we can choose to welcome it or chase it away.  It all comes down to fearing the Lord.

But, that always confuses me.  What does it actually mean to fear the Lord?  Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “fear” as “an unpleasant, often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger;  anxious concern; or unpleasant alarm”, but it also notes it means “profound reverence and awe, especially toward God.”  

Fear of the Lord means to have a heart that is in awe of who God is, who he has created, and who he has made us to be.  To create lives for ourselves that make God proud.  To accept ourselves and love ourselves the way he made us, because we are made in his image.  Fear of the Lord simply helps us become the best version of ourselves.  

How we live our life matters.  There is a ripple effect that flows outward and touches those around us.  Our attitudes and actions impact our personal lives, our family life, our community and future generations.  Psalm 28 teaches us that the influence of a godly person is great.  God’s blessing flows outward from the individual, to the family, to the church, and to all the people of God.