In Psalms, chapter twenty-four, verse five, those who receive “the blessing from the Lord” are those who “seek Him,” as in verse six, with “clean hands and a pure heart,” as in verse four. We should remind ourselves of this every time we call on God in prayer, worship Him in His house, or seek His grace in the Lord’s Supper.
The theme under the Song to the King of Glory section presents the reward of blessing from the Lord. To recap from the previous blog, verse four, concerning clean hands and a pure heart, is hands-free from external acts of sin and inward holiness, right motives, and goals. Remember, Matthew five, verse eight, declares, “Only a pure heart will see God.” Therefore, if these two requirements are present within the believer, why would God not grant the blessing of those who call upon Him? Abel was the first, even though killed shortly after by his brother Cain, to receive a blessing from God accepting his offering. And respecting it in Genesis four, verse four, “And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering.” Noah is another in Genesis six, verse nine, “Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.”
Noah made a boat to rescue the animals and his family for life preservation. Faith and obedience from him to God receive approval and blessing to survive the flood from Genesis seven, verse eleven. Even though the next verse rains forty days and forty nights upon the earth, Noah does not leave the Ark until Genesis eight, verses thirteen to fourteen.
To receive a blessing begins with seeking God. Matthew six, verse thirty-three, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Seeking God is not when it is time to ask for things but a time to speak with Him about His will and on behalf of others. If we talk to someone only for them to do something, and not with a pure heart, how do we expect to receive?
Abel and Noah’s actions speak volumes of their approach toward God. Their heart lived in righteousness, and their motives and goals were approved in the sight of God which gained His favor.
On the other hand, why many do not receive blessings from God and come up with their way of blessing themselves and say it is God’s way of blessing them is with their motives and goals and do not reflect God. This occurs since most do not have “clean hands” and a “pure heart.” Otherwise, if they did live clean, God would have already granted their requests but most do not “seek God” with all their heart but seek things that God already knows and resort to other schemes of receiving blessings that are not from God but their formality.