When Jesus shared the Beatitudes with us in Mathew 5 He gave us invaluable insight. I often meditate upon these simple, yet beautifully intimate, instructions for being more Christ-like. It is the description of discipleship. It is how to act and what to expect as a christian who takes up your cross and follows Christ. Meditate on these often. Memorize them. When you have days of doubt, or days that are rougher than others, let the Holy Spirit remind you through these beautiful words of Christ…
1 Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to Him,
2and He began to teach them, saying:
3Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
It is important note that the word “blessed” in the Bible does not always equate to our English word “happy”. More often the word blessed when used in the Bible means “consecrated to God” or “belonging to God” – It can also mean “moving forward, to advance or as a sort of exclamation like O the good fortune!”. I heard one scholar of Hebrew state that the word used for blessed in the Beatitudes would need several sheets of paper to describe its actual meaning but he would sum it up as “being worth it in the end”.
Taken in their simplest form they truly do speak to our hearts. Christ always had this way of taking a very complex idea and breaking it down so that a child could understand it. In The Beatitudes we have a treasure trove of information that when we meditate on it, fully let it settle into our soul, we are reassured that in the end despite any trial we face – we will be blessed. I love that part. We are blessed.
Insightful Articles For Those That Would Like To Learn More About The Beatitudes
Blessed : In Communion: This is a very informative look into The Beatitudes. I found this article not only insightful but well written and it covered this scripture in a way that was detailed yet easily understandable.
The Beatitudes In Hebrew : One of my favorite articles and an extensive look at the Hebrew version of The Beatitudes. It is an exhaustive look into the details of each.
Healthy Mind Ministry 