Summer
1998
Bless
The Lord
Charles Haun
The word "bless" (Hebrew - barac) has a compound
meaning, "to bless and kneel." A problem develops
concerning these meanings when God is the activator - "I
will bless them." This could not mean that God will kneel
before them.
Therefore, there must be more to this word than bending that
part of the leg. A further search revealed that authorities
add to the meaning of this word "barac," the word
"prosperity."
Does "Bless the Lord" then cause God to prosper?
Prosperity is multiplication, addition, or increase. There
is a way in which we can add to God. He can receive pleasure
from us. Today, we can give to the Lord something that He
never had before, thus adding to Him. We can yield the right
to our lives to the Lord, and allow Him to speak through us
in a way that He could not have done before.
"Bless ye the LORD, all ye His hosts; ye ministers
of
His, that do His pleasure" Psalm 103:21.
We should consider, and then ask ourselves the following
questions;
"What is in me? Am I full of self and the desires of
the flesh? Does that which is within me displease God, or
does that which is godly fill my life?"
Can I honestly testify, "God is pleased with the qualities
that fill my inner being - which allow Him to be seen though
me?
"Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within
me,
bless His holy Name" Psalm 103:1.
This "within me" is where the Lord seeks to procure
His own blessing. We prepare it for Him by shutting our "gates"
to the impurities and shameless unrighteousness of this present
age.
Then we provide "blessings" for Him by taking in
those elements characterized by purity and godliness.