Soul Prosperity

Star Trek fans will remember Spock’s hand gesture as he said, “live long and prosper.”  Actually, that gesture is a slight modification of the Hebrew hand sign forming the letter “Shin,” which represents the name “Shaddai” meaning “Almighty” (God).  Orthodox Jews still use the gesture today during prayer services as they give the “Priestly Blessing.”

 

What thoughts come to your mind when you consider prosperity?  No doubt, the word conjures up untold wealth, riches, and success.  After all, isn’t that the “American dream?”  Well, it’s a far cry from the blessing we read in Numbers, “May the Lord bless you and keep you.  May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.  May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” (6:22)   God desires we prosper on a much deeper and more meaningful level than what “moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19)  He designed our souls to prosper from an inward truth.  Spurgeon wrote, “Now it is a rule of nature that the inward affects the outward, as light shines from the centre of the lantern through the glass; when, therefore, the truth is kindled within, its brightness soon beams forth in the outward life and conversation.”  Don’t you see the beauty of prosperity as it’s defined by inward treasures [of Truth] in the soul which outlast mere earthly rubble!  I have no idea if script writers knew the origin of Spock’s hand gesture, but man’s soul Creator and Sustainer did.  In the Name and Truth of Jehovah God and our Redeemer Christ Jesus … prosper!