Our scripture this morning is Matthew 5:1-12 (NASB 2020).
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. And He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the gentle, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
I’ve been using the verse of the day in the Bible app (bible.com) as the morning devotional. If I understand correctly they are beginning a series on the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12) today. It is one of my favorite passages because it has so much to teach us about our relationship to God and one another. I’m going to try to post the passage in a different translation or version each day.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” I used to think this was teaching us to join “in spirit” with those who are poor. While it is certainly not a bad thing to be aware of the needs of others and want to help, this verse encourages us to go further, to realize that WE are poor in spirit and need God’s strength and guidance in all things.
Self reliance sounds good but it can also lead to selfishness. We think we can do it all and we forget that we need help from others as well. We must come to God humbly, asking His forgiveness and honestly desiring to be part of the work of His kingdom.
Heavenly Father, we are grateful for the gift of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Help us to see Him in the eyes of all Your children and go in Your name to spread the Good News. Amen.
