Devotion: Luke 11:28

Luke 11:28  He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

In today’s verse we see that Jesus was replying to someone who had spoken prior. Rather than take the verse out of context and assume we know what is going on, take a few minutes to go back and read the passage from which it comes. From our reading we see that a woman had cried out a blessing to His mother for birthing and providing for Him. And His response redirected the woman’s blessing back to the people who are obedient to God.

But before we get into that, what does “blessed” mean? The New Testament word for blessed is makarios in Greek. It indicates that one is truly happy, fortunate, or spiritually satisfied in God, regardless of external circumstances. It can be likened to a state of divine favor, deep spiritual joy, and true well-being, often found through a right relationship with God. One who walks in the ways of God and obeys His commands generally would be considered blessed.

Now back to today’s verse. Jesus redirects the focus of the praise from Mary to the act of obeying God, making obedience the catalyst for the blessings one might experience. But we must understand that simply hearing God’s Word or reading it once or twice is not enough. We must understand, believe, and actively obey God’s Word – all demonstration of true faith and discipleship. It requires action, choice, obedience. You can’t just passively hear something or acknowledge it in passing and then expect blessings in your life. That is not faith. That is simply belief – and even the demons believe.

Blessings come from actively applying His Word in our life on a daily basis. They result from us purposefully and intentionally aligning our lives with God’s will. And the only way that we can intentionally align with His will is to know it by discipleship habits such as reading the Word, praying, attending church, etc.

If you want to be blessed then it is time to listen and obey. Hear the Word of God, seek His will for your life, and then step in obedience as you seek to walk in His ways. Think about what you need to change or add in your own life that would better allow you to walk in His ways.

Prayer: Lord, My heart’s desire is to be Your disciple. Guide my steps and give me discernment as I try to walk in obedience to Your will for my life. Amen

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