Praise the Lord! Happy are those who fear the Lord, who greatly delight in his commandments. Their descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures for ever. They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright; they are gracious, merciful, and righteous. It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice. For the righteous will never be moved; they will be remembered for ever. They are not afraid of evil tidings; their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord. Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes. They have distributed freely, they have given to the poor; their righteousness endures for ever; their horn is exalted in honour. The wicked see it and are angry; they gnash their teeth and melt away; the desire of the wicked comes to nothing. (Psalm 112: 1-10)

Wealthy, powerful, courageous, respected, and triumphant: this is what many envision as being blessed. This is the blessing the psalmist promises to those who are consistently gracious, merciful, righteous, generous, and just.

The promise of prosperity is a key element in much of scripture. But the preconditions are too often neglected. The promise is fulfilled through a profound relationship with God manifested in every choice we make.

We can also see in the life of Jesus that wealth, power, courage, respect, and triumph may come in ways we do not expect.

A loving and loyal relationship with God is the foundation of personal fulfillment. The prosperity appropriate for one person will be different for another. Each of us has a unique role to play in fulfilling God's intention.

By seeking and doing what God intends we will find fulfillment. This is a promise that is always kept.