Day 5 - The Blessings Of Obedience

When we try to improve the quality of our lives we learn how much we need to live in harmony with the spirit of every word in the Bible. Our spirits do not rest until we are in harmony with the Word because, subconsciously, our spirits are trying to direct us at Jesus as he stands in the judgement gateway of heaven.

To this end we are invited, admonished, pleaded with, begged, counselled, and commanded to live in harmony with every New Testament text. We are encouraged to persevere in this obedience by being reminded of just how blessed we become when we keep the commandments.

It is normal and quite acceptable for any mother to like hearing good things being said about her children. Whenever a well behaved and polite child begins to get a good reputation in the local community we soon hear groups of mothers outside the school gates saying about that child's mother something like,

"How lucky (blessed) she is to have a child like that!"

There was once a lady who went to listen to and watch one particular young man. He was healing the sick, casting out demons, giving sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf, and curing leprosy and as a consequence was gaining a fine and much sought after reputation.

The lady approached the young man and shouted out,

"Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you." Luke 11:27, displaying much the same admiring feelings as those mothers outside the school gates.

This was indeed an indisputable statement as an angel had already acknowledged the fact. When speaking to Mary about the pending birth of that same young man, Luke 1:28, the angel went to her and said,
"Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

This young girl was more highly favoured than any other woman on earth has ever been, because she was about to become the mother of Jesus, the Son of God. And what was his reply to the lady who so flattered him?

"Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it." Luke 11:28

Jesus is not denying that his own mother was the most blessed woman in the world, and would remain so from generation to generation; he is adding that those who hear God's word and keep it are rather, or even more greatly, blessed than his mother Mary. God favours those who obey him.

The Word of God is yours to nurture, cherish and take good care of. True happiness in this life is the result of this harmony, and heaven is the final and eternal reward for it.