God’s Word Blesses

ALEPH – first, strength

119  Blessed are those whose way is blameless,

who walk in the law of the Lord!

²  Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,

who seek him with their whole heart,

³  who also do no wrong,

but walk in his ways!

⁴  You have commanded your precepts

to be kept diligently.

⁵  Oh that my ways may be steadfast

in keeping your statutes!

⁶  Then I shall not be put to shame,

having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.

⁷  I will praise you with an upright heart,

when I learn your righteous rules.

⁸  I will keep your statutes;

ALEPH – the first symbol of the Hebrew alphabet is a picture of an oxen blowing, meaning “strength,” “leader,” or “first.” “In the beginning, God created,” Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God,” John 1:1-2. The Triune God was in the beginning with all of its beginnings: the beginning of the world, humans, sin, cultures, and nations. “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end,” Revelation 1:8 (Alpha and Omega – first and last letters of the Greek alphabet). He exists as the beginning of all. .”  The full meaning of ALEPH may sound like this, “the strength of the Torah is in the Word.”

How might that benefit me, some may ask? His Word as first, in our lives produces strength for life. Psalm 119 proves this statement. Psalm 119:1—“Blessed” (happy) sets the theme of God’s Word Living in Me. “Blessed,” the first word of Psalm 119, speaks of the first way to live blessed: “those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!” Another way to live blessed finds that when we walk in the law of the Lord we find strength. Our spiritual eyes awaken knowing, understanding, and living God’s Word, “keeping your statutes.” The word “Blessed” derives from an Old English word “blest.” “Blest” means “marked with blood,” streaming from the Old Covenant, priest marked the altar and the person offering the sacrifice.

Tasting of life as “blessed” (happiness) starts by recognizing that Christ sacrificed Himself for us and His blood cleanses us. Through Jesus Christ, we may intimately know the Lord and His Word.

Tasting a “blessed” (happy) life also comes from understanding that about ten percent of our circumstances (material goods, education, and etcetera) generate happiness, while ninety percent of our genetics and attitude (mindset or how we think) generate happiness. We may choose our circumstances from time to time, but we inherit our genetics and that includes our negative thinking. We may change our negative thinking patterns by learning a life of thanks. The average person thinks about three hundred negative thoughts per day. While learning a life of THANKS in all things (eucharisteo), we develop healthy habits and relationships that produce a ”blessed” life. Notice the acronym THANKS:

Eucharisteo (u-kar-i-stay-o) stay in THANKS

Monday:      Taking time to live (not what we see, but the way we see)

Tuesday:      Holding each moment (with joy)

Wednesday: Acknowledging His gifts (He offers many)

Thursday:    Naming all the ways God loves me

Friday:         Keeping an attitude of gratitude (finding treasures in midst of trash)

Saturday:     Staying present to the presence of God

Renew your happiness date, day by day, checking your THANKS process. Checking your happiness is like checking the expiration date of food. I often check my happiness date by checking my attitude (mind-set) of gratitude. According to the ALEPH (beginning) stanza of eight verses, the Lord and His Word develop happiness, as we live “blessed” with God’s Word Living in Me:

God wants us blessed. He desires for us to live with happiness.

• Verse 1: “I stand blameless,”
• Verse five—“I live steadfast,” meaning, “firmly fixed in faith, constant,”
• Verse six—“I live with no shame,”
• verse seven—“I stand with an upright heart.” The Lord frees us of such baggage, while generating happiness.

These eight verses tells us that living a blessed (happy) life belong to the persons who choose the Lord as first in life, “fix our eyes” on Him, and look to his Word first for strength. Choose a blessed life by choosing to live His Word daily.

How does walking in His pathway evoke a “blessed” (happy) life?

 

Next time we look at potentials that destroy a “blessed” (happy) life.