“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”Matthew 5:3-10
I wanted to share with you, in a unique way, the truth within the Beatitudes. There is so much of God’s heart and wisdom revealed in this seeming simple list of blessed characteristics. There is a transformational journey of relationship with Almighty God nestled within these eight verses of which we should all be aware. I am writing this revelation in the first person to hopefully give you a sense of how personal and intimate of a relationship the God of the Universe longs to have with you. May God allow me to share a little fire from the altar of my heart with yours in this way.
“In the beginning God said, “Let there be light.” In that moment, my eyes were opened and I saw the light and knew it was good. The light separated me from the darkness of this world and it was then that I became aware of my naked shame, my spiritual destitution. My need for the Author of Life whom I had been severed from as well as my inability to reach Him on my own, was undeniable. Upon this revelation, I immediately found myself under the authority and dominion of heaven.
Godly sorrow filled my heart and tears of repentance flowed down my face. My mind changed in that instant and I began to run toward my Heavenly Father instead of away from Him. Through this humble and penitent attitude He graciously invited me and lovingly pulled me to His bosom, comforting and encouraging me.
He began to reveal to me my value and identity I had been meant to be from the very beginning. In accepting the gracious invitation and precious gift of Jesus’ righteousness, I took on His image and likeness, His identity. I am a child of the Living God. I am righteous, healed, delivered, restored, whole, anointed, united with God’s Spirit. I am the bearer of His will, power and authority, and in Him I have the yes and amen of all His promises. I am reborn with the D.N.A (Divine Nature of Abba) of my Father. I have become love. In the strength and gentle confidence of this identity, I now stand. Meekness now replaces weakness and the inheritance of which I was cheated out of in the garden has been restored.
From this place, a hunger and thirst, an eager longing for more of the Lover of my soul now swells within me so that my heart can hardly contain it. Fire from heaven, the Holy Spirit, fell upon the altar of my heart where the oil of surrender and the blood of the Lamb mingle, igniting a holy flame that sanctifies my heart. It at once both fully satisfies my soul and yet spurs me on to a deeper longing for more of Him.
Through new eyes I recognize the goodness and abundance of God’s unilateral love that paid my debt to sin that I could never have paid. The stark awareness of the enormous sacrifice made on my behalf, and not mine only but the world’s, elicits the same mercy to flow from me out toward others and there God matches me mercy for mercy. Freely I have received and so I freely I give.
Diving into the Living Word of God and emulating the Father like this, results in more intimacy with Him and intimacy is the refining fire that continually purifies my heart. It is in this communion of relationship that the Father and His heart is more clearly seen and experienced in me, by me and through me.
Because of this transformational relationship, I now champion peace among my brethren and between those still lost in darkness and God. Like Jesus, my brother and friend, I too become a reconciler, a friend-maker, bearing witness to the truth that I am indeed a child of the Living God.
Now as I stand as a pillar of righteousness, a light shining on a hill, amidst the dark temples of false gods, I know I will be persecuted as my Lord Jesus was. However, in this I can smile, lift my head and rejoice! For when I am slandered, mocked, abused and wrongfully accused it reveals that I have taken up my cross and followed Jesus. It confirms the Word of God is alive within in me and establishes me even more firmly in the power, authority and dominion of heaven, the Kingdom and home of my citizenship.”
The beauty of this journey is that is isn’t a two dimensional circle or a line but rather an ever-ascending coil like a path around a mountain reaching to its summit and each time around you will find yourself in a higher place of intimacy with God, and you will more accurately be the image and likeness of your Father. This journey is meant to be the experience of every believer. The timing and testimony details may differ but the overall story remains the same.
I pray this insight will help and encourage you and spur you on to deeper intimacy with Abba Father. All praise, honor and glory be to our King! May you reveal Yourself ever more to us Father and continue to draw us ever closer to Your side. Amen.
The Heart of Faith 