Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Matthew 5-The Beatitudes
1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.


I was watching the funeral of President Ford this morning and the pastor mentioned the "Beattitudes" otherwise known as the "blessed are the..."'s. I always wondered as to why Jesus said, "Blessed are the". The consumer in me hoped that by conforming to the image of the ideal Christian (meek, thirsting for righteousness, peacemakers, merciful...and so on) I would get some sort of door prize in heaven. This morning it hit me when I heard that those who mourn are blessed because God will comfort them.

Perhaps the blessing comes from the fact that our internal condition leaves us open to experience the truest blessing of them all...to have the presence of God in our lives. The mourners will be comforted. The pure in heart will see God. The merciful will be shown mercy...These all reveal that the greatest blessing is God's coming into our lives. He IS real. He IS present. So in fact, the blessedness of these attitudes come not in the form of some gift or prize, but in the touch of God.

I pray this year that my heart would be broken so I will be touched by the living God. The very real and here and now God. The God who comes to us, who fills, comforts, gives, and is. Anyone want to join me?

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