The Blessing of the Redeemed

The Blessing of the Redeemed

Words of Faith 2-5-18

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2018

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

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Ruth 4

   [11] Then the elders and all those at the gate said, "We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. [12] Through the offspring the Lord gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah."

       Blessing is a practice we have nearly lost in our modern society. We have come to think of "blessing" as "approval," such as when a couple seeks the blessing" or approval of their parents when they marry. But blessing is so much more.

       In ancient times, a blessing was a powerful statement that released the power of God into the life of another person. Remember the blessing of Isaac upon Jacob?   The blessing of the father was so valuable that Rebekah conspired with Jacob for him to receive that blessing. Such a blessing could not be revoked.

         The blessing of the elders of the town was important and powerful. They might have frowned upon this marriage to a foreign woman so complicated in its details. But instead, the elders pronounced a rich blessing upon the unusual marriage of an older man to a younger foreigner. Perhaps they had observed the sincere faith of Ruth as well has her commitment to Naomi. They may simply have sensed that the Lord was very much at work in this love story.

         The blessing of the elders upon Boaz and Ruth was first for fertility. No one represented that quite the way Rachel and Leah did because they had borne the house of Israel. The blessing was also for Boaz to have respected standing and be famous in Bethlehem. The final part of the blessing was for future generations to be numerous. Two very important concepts in Judaism were that the family name be carried to future generations and that a person be remembered by those generations.

         The blessing of the elders of Bethlehem begs the question: As people redeemed by Christ, do we bless one another? Do we speak the blessing God upon one another? Do we bless those redeemed by Christ who worship in a church family different from our own? Do we speak blessing upon the redeemed that they may be fruitful and numerous for the Kingdom of God?

         Sadly, the church has often taken on a modern sense of corporate competition and market share analysis. We often fail to speak such blessing and sometimes we speak curses.   We can do better. As the community of the redeemed, we are called to speak blessing upon the families joined to the Redeemer.

          Lord, today I pray for Your blessing to be upon the redeemed. I pray for You to make the church families of my community fruitful. Forgive me of the sin of competition. I pray for those I have considered in such a way. I pray for You to make the name of Christ, our Redeemer, famous and respected in my town. Release the power of the Holy Spirit in the Body of Christ. Teach me the joy of blessing others. In Jesus' name. Amen.