Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commandments!
2 His offspring will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
Robin Hood would agree that the most aggravating thing about the Prosperity Gospel is how it takes money from the poor and gives it to the rich preacher. The second most aggravating thing is that charlatan preachers can point to Scripture like the above verses to bolster their self-serving claims. Just like Proverbs, these psalms speak generally of how life can be expected to go if one fears the Lord and obeys him. This could be why the rich in the church in Corinth rejected Paul. Here was a short, stocky, bald fellow with bruises and scars from persecution when, according to this psalm, he should look like Charlton Heston.
Any follower of Jesus who has gone to closed countries knows that God keeps his promises in different ways. We are rich in Christ, heirs of the King of kings. Light dawns but it dawns in the lives of Christians shining the light in the darkness. For those that are his, we do not need to look like movie stars and have the money to boot. We need only delight in his commandments to make disciples and love our neighbor to experience the lifestyle of the rich and justified. Not because of us but because he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
Dear Lord, thank you for the riches due to the heir of a King. Help us to shine your light in the darkness today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church