Jesus saw the crowds and went up a hill, where he sat down. His disciples gathered around him, and he began to teach them:
“Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor;
the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!
“Happy are those who mourn;
God will comfort them!
“Happy are those who are humble;
they will receive what God has promised!
“Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires;
God will satisfy them fully!
“Happy are those who are merciful to others;
God will be merciful to them!
“Happy are the pure in heart;
they will see God!
“Happy are those who work for peace;
God will call them his children!
“Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires;
the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them! “Happy are you when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of evil lies against you because you are my followers. Be happy and glad, for a great reward is kept for you in heaven. This is how the prophets who lived before you were persecuted. (Matthew 5:1-12 GNT)
To be honest every time I read those chapters in the gospel of Matthew it just reminds me of everything I am not and it leaves me wondering why God would want to use me. But as I walked along the sea of Galilee and remembered the calling of those first disciples, I am again struck by their ordinariness...and in that I find hope for myself.
Philip Yancey helps me make sense of the beatitudes.
For in them we have God's absolute ideal AND God's absolute grace. We have this tension between God's ideals and God's grace.
In summery I understand the Beatitudes to say this...Jesus came to give me abundant life and this means I must:
1. Invest in others
2. Take a courageous stand for justice
3. Minister to the weak and needy
4. Pursue God not self
- Posted from my iPad
Location:הירדן,Tiberias,Israel
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