I shared with you last week that I feel the Lord leading me to spend some time writing on a particular section of scripture. In preparation for this, I asked you to send me a one-word description of how you are feeling at this point in your life. Many of you responded and I am so thankful for your participation.
Some of the same words were sent from multiple people, but I only listed the word once. The words I received were:
Overwhelmed Confidence
Weary Lonely
Loved Thankful
Seeking Preparation
Faithful Inspired
Content Unsure
Broken Encouraged
Trust Trapped
Blessed Pain
Hopeful Hurting
Bittersweet
We are humans made up with many emotions and I realize that our “word” can change depending on the day and what is happening to us and around us. Oftentimes, our circumstances can change in an instant, and we can go from feeling hopeful to feeling overwhelmed, from feeling blessed to feeling lonely.
I’ve been wondering lately why my “word” seems to change even though the God I serve never changes. If I am supposed to be striving to look more like Him, and if I want others to see Him in me, does that mean that my “word” shouldn’t be based on my emotions? Should it be based more on my all-powerful God and His abilities and less on my own frailties?
These questions have taken me to the Beatitudes that are found in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5. Here we find Jesus teaching on a mountainside. Matthew 5:1-2 tells us that he was teaching his disciples, but it seems that there were crowds of others listening in, because at the end of the sermon it says in Matthew 7:28, “When Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching.” Many were there that day to glean from Jesus’ wisdom and I can’t imagine what it must have been like to sit at His feet. It makes me wonder how intently I would have listened if I could have been there. Would I have been too preoccupied with my own problems to grasp what He was saying? Would I have spent my time thinking His words were meant for someone else and not for me?
Fortunately, Jesus’ words were written down and we can now make the decision as to whether we will learn from what He shared that day on the mountainside, or whether we will figure the Beatitudes don’t pertain to us. So next week, I will begin to share with you my findings concerning the first Beatitude and how it might give you and me more insight as to what our walk with Jesus should look like. I’m looking forward to diving in to these verses with you to see if what we find out affects our “word”.
The Beatitudes
“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
God blesses those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
God blesses those who are humble,
for they will inherit the whole earth.
God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they will be satisfied.
God blesses those who are merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
for they will see God.
God blesses those who work for peace,
for they will be called the children of God.
God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
for they will be comforted.
God blesses those who are humble,
for they will inherit the whole earth.
God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they will be satisfied.
God blesses those who are merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
for they will see God.
God blesses those who work for peace,
for they will be called the children of God.
God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
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