Hard pressed but not crushed,
Perplexed but not in despair,
Persecuted but not abandoned,
Struck down but not destroyed.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 ♥
So, I woke up and like a good little disciplined girl, I sat myself down at my desk and took out my blueprints. Today, it was about Matthew 5:3-12 - the beatitudes. Have you ever wondered why they are called that? Well, as I was reading the text, I remembered the recent Bible study I just finished, Living Your Life as Beautiful Offering, which focuses on the Sermon of the Mount. I pulled out that Bible study and decided to skim read and review the beatitudes.
That's when I found the verse above. I love the Bible! Its so full of verses that half the time we forget about. Usually, we remember the usual. You know, like John 3:16. John 3:16 is an amazing verse too, but the Bible's so full of secrets and other verses.
Often, the beatitudes feel like the 'Gotta Be's' to me. However, isn't it so much better to look at it as the 'When You Are's'.
_____________, when you are ____________________,
(your name) (the condition)
Jesus comes with ______________________.
(the blessing)
If you fill in the blanks, it looks like this:
Hazel, when you are poor in spirit,
Jesus comes with the kingdom of heaven.
Isn't it so better that way? And you know that when you give your heart to Jesus, that broken spirit of yours, you become someone who, in the midst of persecution, trials, hard times, stands firm. (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)
Being humble is a hard thing to achieve. However, it makes it so much easier to achieve when you know that simple things like being poor in spirit (the conditions of the beatitudes) is being humble. It is easy to feel exhausted in your spirit, it's easy to mourn, its easy to be meek. Its not a condition though.
Using words to explain this isn't easy, but all I know is that God totally opened my eyes up to another perspective of the Scriptures. And the word humility has whole different meaning to it.
Humility isn't about having low self-esteem. You have to have a positive outlook about life to be humble. A humble person is not concerned with what others think. A humble person recognizes how God created him/her and sees that same uniqueness in others. A humble person can serve, even without recognition or shows of gratitude. A humble person puts herself below others.
To end off, I think Matthew 5:3-12 is one of those passages that everyone talks about. But come to think of it, it has so many different aspects of it. You can learn so much from it. :) I love The Message translation. It puts it in the 'When You Are' context.
3You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. (poor in spirit)
4You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. (those who mourn)
5You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought. (the meek)
6You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat. (those who hunger and thirst for righteousness)
7You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'care-full,' you find yourselves cared for. (the merciful)
8You're blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world. (those who are poor in heart)
9You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family. (the peacemakers)
10You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom. (persecuted for righteousness)
11Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable.
12You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.
He Reigns
From Heaven to Earth
My God is an Awesome God
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