Calendar

THE BLESSING OF THE HOME (3)
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
Ruth 4:11-22

Leviticus 26:1-13

 

“…I will have respect unto you,
and make you fruitful,

and multiply you…”

 

THE BLESSING OF THE HOME (3)
 
Christian weddings are a public event not only for a witness and for the legal papers, but also for spiritual blessings. The public witness not only gives a testimony of approval and a witness that buttresses the marriage in the storms of life through prayers, fellowship, counsel and reminders during hard times, it also provides for spiritual blessings and support during the wedding and after in the course of the marriage.
 
“…The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah…” (Ruth 4:11). The prayer of blessing given at weddings, with the congregation joining in spirit and heart and with a chorus of amen, not only gives encouragement to the couple, but also offers a platform for holding them accountable to their obligations, their roles, duties and vows.
 
The second value of the public witness in a Christian wedding is the blessings it bestows. These blessings are based on the Word and promises of God, as well as the testimony and example of those who receive them. The elders, in their blessings, referred to their history and God’s Word when they prayed that the LORD would bless Ruth and make her “like Rachel and like Leah.” Both Rachel and Leah were at different times “remembered” by the LORD and blessed with fruit of the womb. For Leah, the Bible records, “And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son” (Gen 30:17), while for Rachel, the Bible states, “And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb” (Gen 30:22). For both of them, the testimony is clear: “children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward” (Ps 127:3). Leah and Rachel were the mothers of Israel, not by power, might or nature, but by the blessing of the LORD. The psalm says the fruit of the womb is His reward, and as Jacob acknowledged “which God hath graciously given thy servant” (Gen 33:5). Rachel was probably mentioned first because her grave was with them (Gen 35:19).
 
THOUGHT: Christian witness comes with a blessing on the home.
PRAYER: O, Father, give us homes built firmly on the Saviour!

Search