The Bible speaks often about the idea of blessing. Every good thing we enjoy ultimately comes from the hand of God. Scripture reminds us again and again of this truth: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17). “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8). “The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24–26). Out of His goodness, love, and grace, God is the source of every blessing we have.
But what does it mean to live a life defined by blessing? How can we be people who are truly blessed by the Creator of the universe? Luke 11:27–28 gives us insight into the answer. As Jesus was speaking, a woman in the crowd cried out, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!” But Jesus responded, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Here, Jesus shows us that a life of blessing is not about earthly connections, circumstances, or possessions. Instead, it comes from doing two simple but powerful things: hearing the word of God and keeping it.
First, we must be people who truly listen to God’s word. Every day, our ears are filled with countless voices: the voices of television, radio, culture, social media, and the opinions of others. But for Christians, there must be a greater passion and zeal for listening to the voice of God. Our attitude should always be: “God has spoken through His word, and I want to hear what He has to say.”
Yet listening alone is not enough. If we want to live in God’s blessing, we must also obey what we hear. Jesus said that His followers are to obey “everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). The people of Israel once responded, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do” (Exodus 19:8), and that must be our commitment as well. James warns us not to be hearers only, deceiving ourselves. He writes, “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:22–25).
God is the giver of all blessings. If we truly want our lives to be marked by His goodness, we must not only listen to His word but also live it out daily. The promise of Jesus is clear: “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”
Imagine two men who each receive the same set of blueprints for building a house. One studies them carefully, nods his head, and says, “These are excellent plans.” But instead of building according to the instructions, he decides to do things his own way. The second man not only studies the blueprints, but he follows them step by step. Which man ends up with a house that stands firm? God’s word is the blueprint for our lives. Hearing it without obedience is like admiring the plans but never building. But hearing and putting it into practice day after day leads to a life that is secure, blessed, and firmly established in God’s will.
So the question is: when you hear God’s word, will you simply nod in agreement? Or will you actually build your life upon it?
-Tyler Alverson
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