God has set values for us to enjoy a satisfying life and favour from Him and men. Today, all we know to do is ask, ask, ask Him to do this or that for us. My brother, my sister, what about the values the Lord has taught us? Have you listened to them to get what He promises you?
Today’s passage says this: “1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, 2 for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. 3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”
Isn’t everything written here? Maybe you have been praying and asking the Lord for peace and prosperity… but what have you done with His teachings? You can pray, but unless His teachings start being central to your behaviour and actions, you will never get peace and prosperity. My friend, prayer is never going to work well without your application of God’s principles. How many believers still don’t know how to love the others, how many show themselves unfaithful not only with others but also with God, yet they want favour. My friend, the favour you are looking for starts with your own attitude towards others and the Lord. Today know that loyalty and kindness are important character qualities and both involve actions: a loyal person acts responsibly; a kind person works for justice for others. But nowadays, people speak more than they act; they know more than they apply what they say they know: your thoughts and words are not enough and they deceive only you anyway, because only your actions measure up to your attitude.
The recipe of God for peace, prosperity, long life and favour is gathered in His Word. Whatever you do to get through otherwise, out of His words, binds only you and yourself. But God’s recipe cannot change. That is the reason why so many Christians are frustrated: they would like to add or remove some water in God’s recipe to blend it to their personal taste… Well, on the cross, Jesus did not pick and choose which parts of your sins he will carry. He took all of them: past, present and future and he even prayed for God to forgive you and protect you from the evil one before you were born. All you now need to learn to do is to Trust in Him with all your heart and allow Him to make you righteous. David said: “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread” (Psalm 37:25). Stay blessed in Jesus’ name.