23 November 2020
Who is Poor in Spirit?
Psalm 34:18-19 NLT
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
The righteous person faces many troubles,
but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.
A person who is crushed is a person who is spent. All they can do is receive help. They are crushed; they have nothing left. That’s the kind of person God is interested in talking to.
Jesus calls these people the ones who are “poor in spirit.”
God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. (Matthew 5:3)
Even those who have realized our need for him have many opportunities to push him away when we continue rely on our own wits, abilities, preferences, energy and will power to live a godly life. By doing this we cement our hearts, and a cemented heart is not a broken heart; it is in a fixed state all it’s own.
A continual need to realize a continual need for Jesus is whom he rescues every time. The others are too busy rescuing themselves.
God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. (Romans 3:24)
God’s grace isn’t something I conjure. God’s grace is what those who are poor in spirit receive. That’s what that means.
Dear God,
Thank you for protecting me from cementing my own heart. Thank you for showing me my need for you and for your beautiful and wonderful gift of grace available to me all the time. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Something to think about:
1. In what areas of my life am I purposefully or accidentally guilty of conjuring up righteousness on my own? What has been the result?
2. How does Psalm 72:12-14 further describe God’s help for those who know they need it? How do these words make me feel?
Who is Poor in Spirit?
Psalm 34:18-19 NLT
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
The righteous person faces many troubles,
but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.
A person who is crushed is a person who is spent. All they can do is receive help. They are crushed; they have nothing left. That’s the kind of person God is interested in talking to.
Jesus calls these people the ones who are “poor in spirit.”
God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. (Matthew 5:3)
Even those who have realized our need for him have many opportunities to push him away when we continue rely on our own wits, abilities, preferences, energy and will power to live a godly life. By doing this we cement our hearts, and a cemented heart is not a broken heart; it is in a fixed state all it’s own.
A continual need to realize a continual need for Jesus is whom he rescues every time. The others are too busy rescuing themselves.
God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. (Romans 3:24)
God’s grace isn’t something I conjure. God’s grace is what those who are poor in spirit receive. That’s what that means.
Dear God,
Thank you for protecting me from cementing my own heart. Thank you for showing me my need for you and for your beautiful and wonderful gift of grace available to me all the time. I love you and thank you and pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Something to think about:
1. In what areas of my life am I purposefully or accidentally guilty of conjuring up righteousness on my own? What has been the result?
2. How does Psalm 72:12-14 further describe God’s help for those who know they need it? How do these words make me feel?
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