HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Blessed - Matthew 5:3

Seek God Together

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Today we read Matthew 5:3 which says “The poor in spirit are blessed, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.”

This is the first of what are known as the beatitudes spoken by Jesus. “Beatitude” comes from the latin word for blessed. Jesus says “Blessed are…” hence the word beatitude. Oxford Languages defines it as “Supreme Blessedness”. That is quite beautiful.

When we ask what is God like, the answer is - Jesus. God is like Jesus. When we ask what God feels, it’s what Jesus feels. What’s important to God? We can have a good idea by examining that which is important to Jesus. And here He tells us...

Blessed are the poor - the poor in spirit. The Kingdom! The kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

In what society are the poor the blessed ones? None that I’m aware of. We value strength, riches, capacity, good looks, charisma, self-assurance. The violent, and the winsome win elections and get power. The king is the most fit to rule.

But then there’s Jesus. And He flips it on its head. It’s not the mightiest. It’s the poorest. More specifically, the spiritually poor that own and rule the mightiest of Kingdoms - the Kingdom of heaven - or rather - the Kingdom of God Himself.

How do you respond to this? You’d be forgiven if you roll your eyes a bit since the idea is so foreign. But how do you feel? How strong are you really? How rich are you really? Are you a raging success? Are you beautiful? Are you charming? Are you self assured? Are you violent?

Or are you none of these things? Are even the potential of these things rapidly slipping through your fingers? Are you poor? Do you feel poor? If so, you’re right where Jesus says you’re most blessed. You can’t move the heart of God in your strength. But He gives the whole kingdom to the weak - the poor.

“God - I don’t feel rich. I feel poor. But I believe that’s what You want from me. And I believe that You give me the Kingdom because of it. That’s shocking. I don’t know whether to believe or disbelieve. Therefore, please give me the ability to see and know what that Kingdom is like. Help me see the way You do.”