"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. " Matthew 5:3
This is the first of the five beatitudes the Sermon on the Mount begins with.
One definition of poor in spirit, which I've heard is "to be infinitely guilty and utterly helpless ."
Being poor in spirit does not mean you have poor self-esteem or self-image, does not mean to think badly about yourself. Being poor in spirit is to recognize, to understand who I am and why I am this way. And it's true - each person is poor in spirit, but not everyone realizes it. How do we understand this? One need only read Matthew 5, 6 and 7 so that concern him. Particularly those verses that begin with "But I say unto you ... "
Well, anybody who reaches this standard? Honestly! Is there anyone who does not sin in words, is there someone who does everything the right way - as the Word requires, by the correct motive - out of pure love for God. We are therefore infinitely guilty and utterly helpless .
"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only [so], but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement." Romans 5:6-11
If only we could imagine to understand what it means wrath of God, from which Christ delivered us!
" Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth." Psalm 18:7
" And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Genesis 6:5
"And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. Genesis 6:7
So God refers to his enemies!
What are our thoughts - only continually good? ("But I say unto you ... ")
Not to mention the hell ...
How dare we have a claim to assert our rights to the Almighty Sovereign God?
Do not bother to show me all the promises in the Word. This is about respect and attitude. About OUR attitude to God.
Blessings and promises are in HIS attitude to us:
"But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." James 4:6
In practice, this means the following:
My attitude to God is like a slave to the Lord who has redeemed me from the slave market of slavery of sin and Satan. I am realizing my total depravity and absolute impotence to reach God's standard. I am realizing that it is only because of God's mercy and because of the precious sacrifice of Christ I am saved from the wrath and fury of God, intended for the enemies of God. I am realizing that only by the mercy of God, with nothing , absolutely nothing in me, that I am deserving, I 'm not an enemy of God and He will not give me to drink from the cup of his wrath because Jesus drank it instead of me on the Cross ...
There is a big difference, however in the attitude of a slave to different masters. In this attitude of ours is very important to realize who our Master is.
Who is this Lord who would give his life for us?
" Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, [as] silver and gold, from your vain conversation [received] by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:" 1 Peter 1:18-19
Knowing this, more realizing that our attitude of slaves turns in regards to extremely grateful, immensely grateful, wanting to be faithful to the end of our Master, willing to do anything to make
Him happy and to please Him voluntary, humble slaves. And knowing, more realizing WHO our MASTER is - Creator and Lord of all the worlds, we would know what a special privilege have been awarded to us and it is absolutely undeserved. That attitude of the poor in spirit, humble slaves of Christ gives us true happiness .
This is the difference of secular understanding of "slave" and God's understanding of "slave." We must constantly remind ourselves that in the Kingdom of God, often the rules, the laws and concepts are diametrically opposed to the secular ones. This would save us a lot of confusion and misunderstanding.
Therefore, James, Peter , Jude, Paul,together with Timothy proudly represented themselves in their letters as slaves of Christ and the Gospel. Great privilege!
To this attitude our God responds with grace - the desire and strength to do His Will. Responds with love, which is sometimes expressed in education, disciplining, examining, testing. He responds with adoption; He responds by giving us heritage. But also He uses us according to His will, for His own purposes.
This may sound offensive to someone proud ears, but who was able even for a short walk in obedience and total surrender to God, he experienced inexpressible happiness, joy and bliss - just as Jesus promised - Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is God kingdom.
[ Blessed - full of joy, not anxiety, worry, concern and care]
"Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased." Psalm 4:7
But if my relationship to God is like of a spoiled child who believes that has captured God on His garment, saying -- I can get God to do everything for my good and prosperity here on this fading, disappearing earth in my fleeting vanity of life then this proudly selfish attitude God resists. Often we find ourselves in very difficult situations and complain and blame God for not taking care of us as His children, and actually God wants to change the attitude of our hearts until it becomes like Job's:
"And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." Job 1:21
Until it becomes like the attitude of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego infront of the furnace :
"If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up." Daniel 3:17-18
That is the attitude that God is waiting for to fill us in fullness and to perform miracles, signs and do his will through us, to promote His Kingdom .
So many pray that God will use them. Some say that the condition for this is to pay a price. No, it will surely cost us ... everything. It sounds scary, but if we consider what we lose and what we gain encountered by giving this "everything" to God, when we put them in the pair of balance, yhis is what we get:
We loose identity, free will, the right of ownership of all material things, over our children our their spouses, over our time, over selfish desires... This means in practice to have those things if you have not got them:
"But this I say, brethren, the time [is] short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not. And they that use this world, as not abusing [it]: for the fashion of this world passeth away." 1 Corinthians 7:29-31
We win the love of Him who is the source of Love, the one that is called Love - of God Himself, love, shed in our hearts by the Holy Spirit of God that is given to us. This alone is so huge, heavy and incomprehensible that it would put out all the trinkets from the other balance pan . Only through this Love we can love God. Only through love can we love our loved ones, because we know that they are actually his. Only through this Love we can love our neighbors, because we would understand that they are His creations. Only through this Love we can pray for your enemies ...
We gain incredible privilege to look into the face of Jesus Christ ...
Lord, forgive me that I lack understanding, language dictionary to convey what I feel only vaguely, as much You had mercy and grace to reveal to me. Please give me more knowledge of your lovely Son and bless all who reads this and me with thurst, desire, longing to show us what it is to know You. Please give us at least a glimpse into the abyss of unexplorability of Your Holy Divine Essence .
We gain Life, Eternity, - we win eternal life in God Himself, the Creator, our Creator.
The worst thing is when God is silent and does not deal with us. This means we are not His legitimate children :
"But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons." Hebrews 12:8
Our attitude to God determines His attitude towards us .
Our attitude to God determines how we will live on this earth.
Our attitude to God determines how we would accept and go through the lessons, tests, trials - with understanding, appreciation, trust and confidence, or ignorance, confusion, fristration, accusation.
Our attitude to God determines our destiny.
Lord, please forgive our ignorance and misunderstanding. Forgive us our idleness and lack of willingness to recognize You the way You are, not according to our tiny ideas for You. We ask You to enlighten the eyes of our hearts, to give us a spirit of wisdom and revelation, to show us Thy sight of what we are and what You want us to be. We pray, teach us the ways of thine ordinances.
Amen
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