* Jesus convicted me while blogging this one.*
~ MATTHEW 5:1-12 ~
V3-12 is The Beatitudes:
The Beatitudes
Jesus said:
3 ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed 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.
12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven,
for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
What I am drawn to here is the way God is for the underdog.
Never forgetting that Jesus is God's heart in the flesh, we know that all Jesus puts His hand to, God has put His hand to, also. (John 10) Here, we see Him reaching out to the underdog, the downcast, the lowly, the hurting and vulnerable; not forgetting the humbled and merciful 'heart'.
The world we live in applauds the so-called 'conqueror'. It serves the rich and exalts the beautiful and would sell its soul for recognition by, or acceptance from, said rich and beautiful people, while often mocking and disregarding those who don't have either, or can't give them either. Many of us have gotten caught up in the world's way of doing things - i.e. mocking or disregarding the poor or the non-beauties -- even if we fall into one, or both, of those categories.
We buy into image, wanting to be part of the 'beautiful world', to be one of the 'beautiful people', totally ignorant of the fact that in our mocking and disregarding, and in our willingness to bow down and worship at the feet of the so-called beautiful, we have become 'ugly'. Shallow and ugly. Jesus doesn't go there. Jesus reaches beyond the world's treasury and into our hearts, to where true beauty lies, while, at the same time, turning His heart and hand to the meek, the persecuted, the downcast and so on. That is true beauty; and to have such a heart is true wealth, don't you think?
Verses 11 and 12 tell me that whatever you put your hand to for God, for Jesus, for the kingdom - if it is Their will, and doesn't oppose it - you will be well rewarded; you will be taken care of.
(And now the conviction.)
(First, the revelation)
Sidetracked - kind of: I had left this passage and moved on; twenty-four hours later (returning when time and energy and internal struggle allowed), I mentally glanced at those verses again and felt a nudge in my spirit: Isn't every condition mentioned in The Beatitudes to do with heart matters?
This caught my attention. Many times I read that verse and still feel it's got something to do with our physical state and needs. But each one is about the condition of the heart.
I know I mentioned above that Jesus reaches beyond the world's treasury and into our hearts, but being drawn back to The Beatitudes just now, I feel Jesus is driving home the most important issue for me: Although I pointed out 'shallowness and ugliness', His focus is the heart. Your heart. My heart. The world's heart. Jesus sees your suffering.
That's what I believe He would like you (and me) to see in this passage: Beyond your attitude - whether you bow to riches and beauty or whatever - He sees your heart; He sees your suffering; He sees your needs; He sees you...and He will bring healings and blessings and freedom to you.
In other words, He has seen where you're at. He sees your suffering. He knows your pain. Don't give up. A better life is coming.... And, not forgetting, He sees you, your suffering, your heartache, and how downcast you are in the privacy of your heart, even if you are one of the rich and beautiful. (AND OUCH! NOW THE CONVICTION) I really feel Jesus is driving that point home to me (perhaps for your sake, perhaps so I don't overlook any heart -- conviction for me; acceptance for you) - that He does not disregard anyone, no matter what their status in life or for their appearance. It really is the heart He cares for. You can still be rich and beautiful and fit into one, or all, of the categories above.
As conviction sets in, I'm reminded here of the saying, "No one gets left behind." No one is disregarded. Not even the rich and beautiful.
This is Jesus heart: No matter who you are, what you look like, where you come from or what you do or do not have...you will not be left behind. You will not be disregarded by Jesus. You will not be left to suffer. He sees you. He has found you. He will rescue you. Because He loves you.
Did you see what I did above - prior to my conviction? I disregarded the 'rich and the beautiful'. Jesus convicted me of that through this blog. I repent for the judgement I held. I didn't realise I was doing that until Jesus impressed His heart upon mine. I repent, asking God for forgiveness, and asking you, the reader, for your forgiveness, also... I now see God's hand on everyone much more clearly - not just on the ones who appear downcast. I was looking at the surface - being shallow and ugly, while sharing Jesus looked at the heart. :( What a fool (me, that is). I never intended to use my heart that way. It was a mindset that I didn't realise I had. It has to go. It's wrong. It's ungodly. It's not reflective of Jesus' heart, and God's hand is not in it. I'm sorry...
From here on in, everyone, one way or another, is the 'underdog'; everyone, in one way or another, is hurting.
Father, I see Your hand. Thank You. <3
Never forgetting that Jesus is God's heart in the flesh, we know that all Jesus puts His hand to, God has put His hand to, also. (John 10) Here, we see Him reaching out to the underdog, the downcast, the lowly, the hurting and vulnerable; not forgetting the humbled and merciful 'heart'.
The world we live in applauds the so-called 'conqueror'. It serves the rich and exalts the beautiful and would sell its soul for recognition by, or acceptance from, said rich and beautiful people, while often mocking and disregarding those who don't have either, or can't give them either. Many of us have gotten caught up in the world's way of doing things - i.e. mocking or disregarding the poor or the non-beauties -- even if we fall into one, or both, of those categories.
We buy into image, wanting to be part of the 'beautiful world', to be one of the 'beautiful people', totally ignorant of the fact that in our mocking and disregarding, and in our willingness to bow down and worship at the feet of the so-called beautiful, we have become 'ugly'. Shallow and ugly. Jesus doesn't go there. Jesus reaches beyond the world's treasury and into our hearts, to where true beauty lies, while, at the same time, turning His heart and hand to the meek, the persecuted, the downcast and so on. That is true beauty; and to have such a heart is true wealth, don't you think?
Verses 11 and 12 tell me that whatever you put your hand to for God, for Jesus, for the kingdom - if it is Their will, and doesn't oppose it - you will be well rewarded; you will be taken care of.
(And now the conviction.)
(First, the revelation)
Sidetracked - kind of: I had left this passage and moved on; twenty-four hours later (returning when time and energy and internal struggle allowed), I mentally glanced at those verses again and felt a nudge in my spirit: Isn't every condition mentioned in The Beatitudes to do with heart matters?
This caught my attention. Many times I read that verse and still feel it's got something to do with our physical state and needs. But each one is about the condition of the heart.
I know I mentioned above that Jesus reaches beyond the world's treasury and into our hearts, but being drawn back to The Beatitudes just now, I feel Jesus is driving home the most important issue for me: Although I pointed out 'shallowness and ugliness', His focus is the heart. Your heart. My heart. The world's heart. Jesus sees your suffering.
That's what I believe He would like you (and me) to see in this passage: Beyond your attitude - whether you bow to riches and beauty or whatever - He sees your heart; He sees your suffering; He sees your needs; He sees you...and He will bring healings and blessings and freedom to you.
- The kingdom of heaven is yours.
- You will be comforted.
- In meekness, you will inherit the earth.
- In hungering and thirsting after righteousness, you will be filled.
- In showing mercy, you will receive mercy.
- In the purity of your heart, you will see God.
- In making peace with others, you will be called the 'sons' (children) of God.
- In being persecuted because of righteousness, the kingdom of heaven is yours.
- In being insulted or persecuted or lied about, because if Him, because of your faith in Jesus, you will be well rewarded.
In other words, He has seen where you're at. He sees your suffering. He knows your pain. Don't give up. A better life is coming.... And, not forgetting, He sees you, your suffering, your heartache, and how downcast you are in the privacy of your heart, even if you are one of the rich and beautiful. (AND OUCH! NOW THE CONVICTION) I really feel Jesus is driving that point home to me (perhaps for your sake, perhaps so I don't overlook any heart -- conviction for me; acceptance for you) - that He does not disregard anyone, no matter what their status in life or for their appearance. It really is the heart He cares for. You can still be rich and beautiful and fit into one, or all, of the categories above.
As conviction sets in, I'm reminded here of the saying, "No one gets left behind." No one is disregarded. Not even the rich and beautiful.
This is Jesus heart: No matter who you are, what you look like, where you come from or what you do or do not have...you will not be left behind. You will not be disregarded by Jesus. You will not be left to suffer. He sees you. He has found you. He will rescue you. Because He loves you.
Did you see what I did above - prior to my conviction? I disregarded the 'rich and the beautiful'. Jesus convicted me of that through this blog. I repent for the judgement I held. I didn't realise I was doing that until Jesus impressed His heart upon mine. I repent, asking God for forgiveness, and asking you, the reader, for your forgiveness, also... I now see God's hand on everyone much more clearly - not just on the ones who appear downcast. I was looking at the surface - being shallow and ugly, while sharing Jesus looked at the heart. :( What a fool (me, that is). I never intended to use my heart that way. It was a mindset that I didn't realise I had. It has to go. It's wrong. It's ungodly. It's not reflective of Jesus' heart, and God's hand is not in it. I'm sorry...
From here on in, everyone, one way or another, is the 'underdog'; everyone, in one way or another, is hurting.
Father, I see Your hand. Thank You. <3