Father, it is a wonderful feeling knowing that You are with me each day – lifting me up, encouraging me, enabling me to accomplish the tasks before, helping me to, in Your strength and love, to abide in You. Praise Your Holy Name!
Luke 6:20-23 (<<click to read the passage)
As believers in the salvation that is offered to us by Jesus, quite often our lives are a challenge to live out day by day. Though now that I have typed that out, the entirety of humanity struggles with that. The big difference, of course, is that those who follow Jesus are not going through those struggles alone – Jesus is by our side all the way!
Another difference is that those of us who struggle in God’s kingdom, truly are swimming against the tide of those whose allegiance is to the kingdom of this world.
One thing that we must grab hold of and hold close to our hearts is the proclamation Peter made in his epistle.
…you are a chosen people. You are [a royal priesthood] a holy nation, God’s very own possession. 1 Peter 2:9a (NLT)
We are sons and daughters of the King of glory! We will be victorious because our King was and is and will always be the Victor! And regardless of what the world’s kingdom says or does, without any doubt that will never…ever…change!
But for now…we strive to live out God’s call upon our lives in this sin-ridden world.
Something of which we must be aware is that God’s kingdom is diametrically opposed to the world’s kingdom. They are polar opposites of each other. What the world claims is right and worthy are at the other end of the spectrum from what we know is right and worthy in God’s eyes. In essence, we live in an upside-down kingdom!
Just reading through today’s passage it becomes clear. Things this world holds as undesirable are the goals of followers of Jesus.
Here are verses 20-23 from the Amplified Bible. I have separated them from each other and placed emphasis on important words. Take and moment and read slowly through the passage.
“Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are you who are poor [in spirit, those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for the kingdom of God is yours [both now and forever].
Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are you who hunger now [for righteousness, actively seeking right standing with God], for you will be [completely] satisfied.
Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are you who weep now [over your sins and repent], for you will laugh [when the burden of sin is lifted].
Blessed [morally courageous and spiritually alive with life-joy in God’s goodness] are you when people hate you, and exclude you [from their fellowship], and insult you, and scorn your name as evil because of [your association with] the Son of Man.
Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for your reward in heaven is great [absolutely inexhaustible]; for their fathers used to treat the prophets in the same way.
Lord Jesus, may we embrace what it truly means to be a part of Your eternal kingdom in the here and now. Amen.
Feb 5th, 2020, Wed, 12:57 pm
