Psalm 115:14  “May the LORD cause you to flourish, both you and your children.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭115:14‬ ‭NIV‬‬
https://psalm.bible/psalm-115-14

May the LORD richly bless both you and your children.
(New Living Translation)

Oh, let GOD enlarge your families—
giving growth to you, growth to your children.
(The Message)

Numbers 6:24-26
      “The LORD bless you 
         and keep you; 
      25 the LORD make his face shine on you 
         and be gracious to you; 
      26 the LORD turn his face toward you 
         and give you peace.”

The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Nu 6:24–26.

Genesis 12:1-3
The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 

      2 “I will make you into a great nation, 
         and I will bless you; 
         I will make your name great, 
         and you will be a blessing. i 
      3 I will bless those who bless you, 
         and whoever curses you I will curse; 
         and all peoples on earth 
         will be blessed through you.”

The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ge 12:1–3.

—

The words “flourish” and “bless” are closely related. Psalm 37 shows us the opposite destinies of those who do evil and those who do good. Those who do evil are like the grass and green plants that wither and die (verse 2). Those who trust God and do good “enjoy safe pasture.” God gives them the desires of their hearts (verses 3 and 4). 

God’s every intention toward us is good. He wants to bless us. He wants us to flourish. Again, Psalm 37 shows us the way. Read the whole psalm to see these verses in their contexts. 

How do we experience God’s blessings? How do we and our families flourish? 

The Aaronic blessing of Numbers 6:24-26 and the other passages above from Genesis and the Psalms make it pretty clear how God blesses those who live lives he can bless. He blesses those whose hearts, minds, and behavior reflect his own. He wants us to join him in blessing our world. He wants us to live lives he can bless so that we can bless others in his name.

Remind yourself of what God said to Abraham (Genesis 12). Recall how he taught Aaron and his descendants to bless the people (Numbers 6). See what King David had to say about living a life God can bless (Psalm 37). 

We are blessed to bless others. 

God’s plan and purpose for us today and this week, and every day and every week, month, and year for the rest of our lives, is for us to live a life he can bless so that we can bless others. We are his implements of flourishing life to barren lives and desert places. 

With this in mind, 

How will you flourish today? 
Who will you bless along the way? 
What words of life will you say? 
How will you brighten another’s day?

It is both a rainy day and a Monday, but the sun is shining somewhere. You can reflect the radiance of God’s glory everywhere you go. 

“Trust in the LORD and do good,” (Psalm 37:3).

—

I will trust in God and do good. I will live a life God can bless.

—

Our Father, I want to make you smile. I want to reflect your glory and goodness. I want others to see how good you are. Bless me that I may help others flourish. Amen.