Psalm for Sunday, December 29, 2013

Reflections

Psalm 128:  1-2, 3, 4-5 (Read)

“Blessed are those who fear
the Lord and walk in His ways.”

Our psalmist tells us that a man who
has a right relationship with the Lord
will also obtain a right relationship with
his wife and his family.  If we have a right
relationship with the Lord, we will know
how to treat our wife and our children,
and in turn, we will discover how blessed
we are in our home and by the presence of
our family.  “Just so will the man be blessed
who fears the Lord.”

And if a man walks with the Lord, this will
be reflected in the way he loves his wife.
Because if a man cherishes his wife,
as ‘flesh of his flesh' and ‘bone of his bones,’
he nourishes his relationship with her,
as Christ nourishes the Church.
And the man’s reward is that his wife will be
like a ‘fruitful vine’ within his house.  This is
how a man is blessed who fears the Lord.

Having been so favored by God,  we understand
why, 'A man shall leave his father and mother
and cleave to his wife.'  God made them one flesh,
and, 'What God has joined, no human being
may separate.'

If we fear the Lord and walk in His ways, we will
receive the blessings of our labor, prosper in a
material way, and grow old gracefully in the
company of our family.

Amen
 
Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  The Psalm tells us how to gain God's favor
so that our family life will be blessed.  What does
it mean to you to fear the Lord and walk in His ways?

2.  We learn from our psalmist how to behave toward
our wife and our children.  A right relationship with our
family is obtained by having a right relationship with our Lord.
Explain how you are putting this teaching into practice.