Blessed

“Blessed are the poor in spirit…those who mourn…the meek…those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…the merciful…the pure in heart…the peacemakers…those who are persecuted for righteousness’  sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5: 3-10 abridged)

God wants to bless us in the here and now as well as in the hereafter. Because we believe in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, we live with the assurance of spending eternity with our Savior. But God also wants us to have a measure of heaven while we’re here. That’s why we ask in the Lord’s Prayer for God’s kingdom to come “on earth as it is in heaven.”

His kingdom comes when we do as Jesus did. In the Beatitudes – the blessing statements that open both the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus’ public ministry – God lays out the actions that bring blessings and their consequences. When we show mercy, we receive it ourselves. When we hunger to know God better, this hunger is satisfied. When we work to bring peace, we are known as the children of God.

It can be hard to see ourselves in the Beatitudes. A peacemaker, me? I’m not Gandhi or Mother Teresa. But I can help squabbling children– or squabbling co-workers – resolve their issues. I can be merciful by forgiving a word or action that hurt me deeply instead of seeking retribution. I can be humble (meek) by honoring the work of others, even though they do things very differently than what I prefer. I can pursue righteousness by sharing what I’ve been given with people in need.

God blesses us so that we can in turn bless others. We give glory to him as we give evidence in our lives of His presence with us here, now, today. In this way His kingdom comes.

God of earth and heaven, thank you for blessing me so generously. Guide me each day to use your gifts to bless others. Amen.

Devotion written by Cheryl Stubbendieck