Meditations on the Beatitudes.

7/25/2019 Meditations on the Beatitudes.

1/22

THE BEATITUDES

THE WAY OF THE KINGDOM

MEDITATIONS

FOR A LOST WORLD

ANTHONY G DALTON

Anthony G Dalton Melbourne [email protected] 2015
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


2/22

The Beatitudes have been referred to as that original draught of essential

Christianity !t is "ithin these "ords s#o$en by %esus on the &ount that the essen'e

of the Christian faith is 'ontained !t is here in these "ords that you find the &eaning

and #ur#ose of the life and death of %esus A life that transfor&ed the "orld These

"ords still &aintain their #oten'y and "ith the gra'e of God they still have the

#otential to 'hange the "orld But they are not easy "ords for they 'hallenge you to

#ra'tise your faith in the "orld They do not allo" you to "ithdra" or even to live

your faith in a #rivate and #ersonal &anner but to 'arry it into the "orld "here you

live and "or$ and #lay

!n the Beatitudes %esus distinguishes bet"een t"o ty#es of #eo#le Those "ho are

a##arently su''essful and those "ho by out"ard a##earan'es are to be #itied( but in

his )udge&ent are blessed These are the #eo#le "ho have re)e'ted "hat has been

offered to the& by the "orld* #erha#s having tasted the fruit offered and found it

"anting The salvation of the "orld and its #eo#le does not lie in ri'hes( ta$ing and

arrogan'e( but in #overty( giving and hu&ility as de&onstrated by %esus in his life

and the "ords he s#o$e

By their very nature these "ords are not to be gul#ed do"n li$e fast food( but their

s"eetness* is only released as they are slo"ly savoured This &eans 'o&ing to

#rayer "ith an attitude of o#enness and re'e#tivity( #re#ared to have all your

#re'on'e#tions shattered and blo"n a"ay by the "ind of the +#irit and then re#la'ed

and rebuilt They "ill be'o&e a foundation u#on "hi'h to build your life and

ulti&ately a ne" "orld

HOW TO USE THIS BOOKLET

,henever you 'o&e to #rayer you should find #la'e that is -uiet +u'h a #la'e

should hel# you to avoid the distra'tions of life and lend itself to -uiet refle'tion

Gentle &usi' &ay assist you as &ay sy&bols that re&ind you that this is a s#e'ial

ti&e To hel# you to -uieten yourself "ithin( re&ain #hysi'ally still The best "ay

to do this is to breathe -uietly and rhyth&i'ally and sit u# straight !f you i&agine

so&eone has tied a #ie'e of string to the 'ro"n of your head and is #ulling it u# this

"ill straighten your s#ine and hel# you to both rela. and 'on'entrate at the sa&e

ti&e Alternatively you 'ould lie on the floor( though resist the tetation to 'ross

your ar&s or legs as this hinders your 'ir'ulation and leads to restlessness

/eading the sele'ted te.t &ay assist your understanding of the &editation and this is

best underta$en slo"ly 0inally read through the #assage in the boo$let you have

'hosen then ta$e so&e ti&e to be still after"ards This is the &ost iortant #art of

the refle'tion !t is here that you should strive to listen for the gentle "his#er of

God*s voi'e ,rite do"n anything that 'o&es to &ind( #arti'ularly if it is ne" or

startling Before you a't u#on anything you have learned tal$ to an adult friend as

they "ill hel# you to truly understand any revelations you have re'eived



3/22

Readings: !saiah 123 4 5( 6atthe" 527( Lu$e 52 3 4 5(

8#hesians 729:

Blessed are t!se "! are #!!r in S$irit

%!r teirs is te Kingd!& !% Hea'en

As &iddle 'lass Australians "hen "e 'onsider the #overty of the third "orld "e see

ourselves as being ri'h On the other hand "hen "e 'ast an eye to"ard Beverly Hills

"e 'an re'$on that "e are a bit hard done by /i'hes are highlighted by #overty

"hilst #overty is a''entuated "hen it is surrounded by "ealth

+t ;eter and the ;ro#het !saiah re'ognised their o"n #overty only "hen they 'a&e

fa'e to fa'e "ith the over"hel&ing #o"er of God Their res#onse "as all

en'oassing !saiah 'ried( er says


4/22


5/22

Readings: 6atthe" 52@ 92@1(

Blessed are t!se "! M!+rn

%!r te* sall -e .!&%!rted

God does not #ro&ise that "e "ill live a life free of #ain( a life filled "ith #ea'e and

)oy But neither does God abandon us in our ti&e of need God is already at the

#oint of hu&an suffering and it is at this #oint "e are 'alled to &eet God( to e&body

God?s love and God?s 'oassion ,here there is sadness( "here there is #ain(

"here there are tears( God is #resent

0or so&e their #ain has eased though they &ay 'arry the s'ars But #erha#s you are

a&ong those "ho re&ain in the bla'$ #it of &ourning that threatens to over"hel&

A grief that sits li$e a ro'$ in your sto&a'h at ti&es overshado"s every other

thought feeling li$e it "ill never abate let alone go a"ay Ho" 'ould it #ossibly !t

is so 'onsu&ing 8ven %esus rea'hed the #oint "hen he "as on the 'ross "here his

#ain be'a&e so over"hel&ing he a''used God of abandoning hi& in his &o&ent of

greatest need

+u'h #ain brings grief and so&e find that they 'annot let go of their grief( as their

#ain re#resents all that is left of "hat they have lost They fear that in letting go of

their #ain( they "ill 'oletely lose that for "hi'h they are grieving +o they hold

on to their #ain as a $ind of &e&orial



6/22

Meditati!n ) M!+rn

All of us have e.#erien'ed 'hange and therefore loss +u'h loss brings "ith it grief

and &ourning ;erha#s you are still &ourning or have you not allo"ed yourself to

&ourn( #ushing your #ain dee# do"n inside 0or those "ho do &ourn and for those

"ho have failed to &ourn you &ay find it hel#ful to return to the #oint of loss

/elive your e.#erien'e of loss /e&e&ber "ho "as there( "hat "as said( "hat the

surroundings "ere As you sit a&id your grief( your loss( loo$ around and you "ill

see that %esus is there "ith you

Continue to sear'h until you find hi& %esus has e.#erien'ed loss and has already

"al$ed "ith you through your loss There he $no"s your #ain and so he "al$s

through the bla'$ness "ith you

+#ea$ to hi& Tell hi& of your grief He "ill listen and understand Do not hold

ba'$

,hen you finish s#ea$ing stand before %esus and "at'h as he rea'hes out and

releases the burden of #ain that you 'arry 4 as though untying the stra#s of a ba'$

#a'$ allo"ing the "eight to 'rash to the ground 0eel the relief and sense of

lightness as the "eight of grief is ta$en fro& you You &ay 'ontinue to feel sadness

and &ay 'ontinue to &ourn but no longer does your sadness "eigh you do"n 4 no

longer does it blind your eyes to God?s 'oassion as %esus &ourns and "ee#s "ith

you feeling your #ain

Listen to the "ords of healing he s#ea$s to you and $no" the blessings he besto"s

u#on you Be assured that although there is #ain( %esus has #ro&ised a ti&e of

'o&fort

+o&eti&es be'ause the burden of 'arrying the loss has been so great even "hen it is

released you &ay still feel the a'he !t is not unli$e 'arrying a heavy bag over a long

distan'e( even after you set it do"n your &us'les 'ontinue to a'he( but little by little

the a'he fades

God has #ro&ised you 'o&fort and so&eti&es all you have left to hang onto are

God?s #ro&ises God?s +a'red "ord says


7/22

Readings: ;sal& 723 4 33( 6atthe" 525( 6ar$ E277 4 7(

Lu$e 31237(

Blessed are te Mee/

te* sall Inerit te Eart

The ,orld says 'hase after &oney 4 %esus says hunger for God?s =ingdo& The

"orld says( save yourself 4 %esus says if you "ish to live you &ust first die The

"orld says( be first( be noti'ed( be iortant %esus says if you "ish to be first you

&ust #ut yourself last The "orld says( if you "ant so&ething( go and grab it %esus

says( if you "ant the "hole "orld 4 hu&ble yourself The "orld says( don?t get &ad(

get even %esus says( re#ay evil "ith $indness be'ause in re#aying evil for evil you

yourself be'o&e evil You yourself be'o&e as one of the "orld( rather than one of

the =ingdo& 8very ti&e you res#ond as one of the "orld( the values of the "orld

are #ro&oted 8very ti&e you res#ond as a follo"er of the Christ the =ingdo& is

e.#anded %esus "as #re#ared to die to de&onstrate these #rin'i#les He died giving

u# everything( in'luding his life( that he &ight re'eive everything

,e 'annot serve both the "orld and Christ %esus says you 'annot serve t"o

&asters !f you try to serve both you end u# being &ani#ulated by the "orld and

&ani#ulating Christ

As follo"ers of Christ "e 'elebrate the death of %esus The "orld sa" this as a loss 4

as 'a#itulation but "e $no" it to be the tearing of the 'urtain The &o&ent "here

"e "ere on'e again able to a##roa'h the Creator and not have to resort to ritual and

#eo#le a'ting as inter&ediaries The #oint of vi'tory "as the #oint of %esus? death

not the resurre'tion The 'urtain "as torn "hen %esus died( he #ro'lai&ed his "or$

"as finished "hen he died( not "hen he "as resurre'ted

!f %esus had failed to hu&ble hi&self to the #oint "here he gave u# his life( he "ould

have &issed out on the glory of the resurre'tion

As &u'h as you give "ill be as &u'h as you re'eive



8/22

Meditati!n ) Te Mee/

,ho or "hat is your &aster( "ho& do you serve and "ho& do you &ani#ulate !s it

the "ill of God or the "ill of the "orld that you #ro&ote Are you "illing to ad&it

you have failed in order to su''eed Are you "illing to ad&it you are #oor in order

that you &ight be &ade ri'h Are you "illing to be lost in order that you &ight be

found Are you "illing to die in order that you &ight truly live ,hat do you "ant

4 "hat the "orld offers or "hat God offers 4 "hat does it #rofit so&eone if they

should gain the "orld but lose their soul As you #la'e yourself in a #osition of

"ea$ness( Fas so'iety )udges you be'o&e in'reasingly de#endent u#on God for the

out'o&e !f you give all God "ill re'i#ro'ate God "ill "or$ "ith as &u'h as you

are "illing to give

/efle't no" on "hat you hold ba'$ ,hat is it that you use as a 'rut'h to stand tall

before others( to hold your head high %esus only "ants you to use one thing in this

&anner 4 hi& !f you fail to hand your 'rut'hes over you "ill never learn to stand in

Christ

!&agine yourself as you are in Christ?s eyes Disabled and blind +#iritually you are

but a 'hild !n order to re'eive your sight( in order for you to stand you &ust give

yourself into %esus* hands

;i'ture yourself giving to %esus your 'rut'hes +ay to hi&(


9/22

Readings: Genesis 92 4 35( 6atthe" 521( Lu$e 31237(

3%ohn 9235 4 3

Blessed are t!se "! H+nger and Tirst %!r Rigte!+sness

%!r te* "ill -e Filled

!t is highly li$ely that "hatever you hunger and thirst after you "ill get %esus

'ounsels you to hunger and thirst not )ust for righteousness but for all the things of

the $ingdo& To hunger and thirst after the things of the "orld is to #la'e the things

of the "orld before those of the =ingdo& They end u# 'oeting "ith God for

your attention 4 you "ill love the one and hate the other 8ventually the things of the

"orld be'o&e ends in the&selves 4 idols

The things of the "orld "ill never truly satisfy you You &ay e.#erien'e a #eriod of

#leasure( but this "ill soon #ass Your thoughts return to the& and the desire builds

u# De&anding( "anting 8ventually they begin to o"n you( so&eti&es even

enslaving you Things of the "orld sa# your energy( ti&e and attention and in the

end lead to s#iritual death You 'annot ta$e anything fro& this "orld( not &oney( not

#ossessions( not your fa&ily( not even your re#utations

The values of the =ingdo& are in 'onfli't "ith those of the "orld The things of the

=ingdo& bring une.#e'ted #leasures !f you see$ after God?s =ingdo& first( you

"ill find that you are blessed "ith all that you need in all areas of our life You "ill

e.#erien'e a release( a freedo&

God is not as$ing you to disregard all else 4 you are being 'alled to #ut your

#riorities in order !f you #la'e God first your life "ill be dire'ted by the +#irit?s

"isdo&( understanding and love in a "ay that "ill 'onstantly u#lift and a&a>e you



10/22

Meditati!n ) H+nger 0 Tirst

Our #roble& is "e are often so blind to the things in our life "hi'h "e hunger after(

"e need God to sho" us "hat it is that "e "aste ti&e and energy #ursuing

!n the beginning Ada&?s life "as the Garden of 8den His life "as refle'ted in that

garden 4 !t 'ould be seen "here he #ut his energies( "hat he valued &ost( "here he

s#ent &ost of his ti&e( "hat he negle'ted

;i'ture your o"n life as a garden s#reading out before you As Ada& did( "al$

through it "ith the Creator As$ for eyes to see "hat you hunger and thirst after

,hat do you see !s your garden full of "eeds !s it overgro"n !s one #art

nurtured "hile the rest is dying ,hat are the fruits of your life

Ta$e ti&e to "al$ though your life listening and allo"ing God to highlight and

reveal to you as#e'ts that need to be brought to your attention

Do not forget also to have God sho" you that "hi'h is #leasing

As$ God to assist you to align your #riorities "ith those of the =ingdo& that you

&ight hunger and thirst after that "hi'h is both free and truly satisfies

Y!+r Res$!nse:

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11/22

Readings: 6i'ah 12( Hosea 121( 6atthe" 52 3293 4 75(

Lu$e 3:27: 4 7

Blessed are te Mer1i%+l

%!r te* sall re1ei'e Mer1*

The beatitudes 'onsistently reveal to us that the values of God*s =ingdo& are in

o##osition to those e&bra'ed by so'iety God says blessed are the &er'iful for they

shall re'eive &er'y "hile so'iety says the "ea$ get "al$ed on and only the strong

survive

6er'y is not regarded as a strong -uality( though it ta$es a far stronger #erson to

e.tend &er'y than to e.er'ise strength ,ould it have been easier for %esus to 'all

do"n legions of angels( as he "as 'a#able of( or be led &ee$ly li$e a la&b to the

slaughter* to a #ainful and horrible death on the 'ross

Bibli'ally the ter& &er'y is used of Christ as an inter&ediary and of those "ho are

li$e God !t is the very 'ore nature and heart of Christ( "hose 'hara'ter "e are 'alled

to refle't 6er'y is not an o#tional e.tra in the life of a follo"er of Christ( it is a

&atter of obedien'e

On a nu&ber of o''asions throughout s'ri#ture God reinfor'es the #ri&ary

iortan'e of &er'y The boo$ of 6i'ah as$s(

the Old Testa&ent "here sa'rifi'e "as the 'entral the&e( it is -uite e.traordinary

%esus shared a nu&ber of stories about &er'y The Good +a&aritan "here an in)ured

&an is overloo$ed by his friends but assisted by an ene&y is #robably the &ost

&e&orable 6er'y is &u'h &ore than sily feeling #ity( it is being a'tively

'oassionate !n other "ords it re-uires a res#onse "hi'h 'an so&eti&es be 'ostly

The death of %esus on the 'ross "as the greatest e.#ression of God?s &er'y

!f "e struggle "ith re'eiving &er'y "e "ill be inhibited in genuinely e.#ressing

&er'y To fully e.#erien'e &er'y "e need to have a sense of being forgiven

;erha#s "e are li$e the servant in %esus? story "ho "hile he re'eived &er'y in

having a large debt 'an'elled( did not truly e.#erien'e it This is refle'ted in his

failure to de&onstrate &er'y by 'an'elling a &u'h s&aller debt to so&eone "ho

o"ed hi& &oney God "ill not "ithhold &er'y fro& any "ho see$ it God has

already e.tended &er'y to all #eo#le and desires that they "ould a'$no"ledge and

re'eive it Have you fully a''e#ted God?s &er'y



12/22

Meditati!n ) Mer1*

+tand in the #resen'e of Christ and as$ that you &ight e.#erien'e the full e.tent of the

&er'y that has been offered to you

There &ay be so&e sense of a light shining u#on you

The signifi'ant thing about the light is that you 'an not only see it but you 'an

e.#erien'e the "ar&th that it e&its li$e &oving fro& the shado" into the dire't rays of

a strong su&&er sun Be'ause %esus "ill not "ithhold any good thing as$ for an

e.#erien'e of that &er'y as dee# and &oving as that of the young #rostitute "ho "e#t

over %esus? feet $issing the&( "ashing the& "ith her tears and drying the& "ith her

hair

0inally as$ %esus for a &er'iful heart that you &ight go out into all the "orld and

&irror %esus? &er'iful nature

The light is no" "ithin you and the "ar&th radiates fro& you !t does not &atter if

you stand in the dar$ or the shado"( it does not di& the -uality of the light and "ar&th

that radiates fro& "ithin

This is the &er'y "e e.tend to others for it is truly God?s &er'y !t is not of our o"n

&a$ing but is a 'onse-uen'e of e.#erien'ing God?s &er'y and as "e re&ain in

'o&&union "ith God it re&ains an endless su##ly that "ells u# "ithin us

Y!+r Res$!nse:

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13/22

Readings: ;sal& 5323:( 6atthe" 52 123E 4 93( ;hili##ians @2

Blessed are te #+re in Heart

%!r te* sall see G!d

;urity of heart is not so&ething "e 'an )ust #ut on or an attitude "e 'an assu&e !t is a

#ers#e'tive of life that "e first dis'over "hen "e &eet %esus and then 'ultivate as "e

begin to dra" near to Christ As inti&a'y "ith %esus develo#s( "e begin to turn a"ay

fro& the things in our life that distra't us fro& God

,hat is it that hinders you fro& attending to %esus They are not al"ays bad things(

they 'an be good things( li$e fa&ily or even "or$s of 'harity +o&eti&es it is )ust a

&atter of gaining balan'e in an area of your life

But( it is not )ust a &atter of shedding things( it is also iortant to e&bra'e the values

of the =ingdo& You need to e.a&ine yourself regularly to see "here your treasure

lies for that is "here your heart is You be'o&e "hat you feed on and if you are to

have a #ure heart you need to 'ontelate #ure things

+t ;aul e.horts us to &editate u#on those things that are true( noble( right( #ure( lovely(

ad&irable( e.'ellent and #raise"orthy !n see$ing God*s gra'e as "e &editate on these

things there is a transfor&ation in our heart in the "ay "e see the "orld Tho&as a?

=eis "rites(


14/22

Meditati!n ) #+re

!&agine a #erson or situation "here you have struggled to see God or "here you have

desired to see God at "or$ !t does not have to be a tragi' situation it 'ould be

so&ething su'h as the &onotony of "or$ !t does not have to be a diffi'ult #erson it

'ould be a friend

!&agine that #erson is standing before you or refle't on the situation

No" as$ God to grant you #urity of heart( the eyes and the &ind of Christ so that you

'an see God?s hand in "hat stands before you( so that the fil& is re&oved fro& your

eyes /efle't on the "ords


15/22

Readings: 6atthe" 52E( 9 Corinthians 5231 4 93( ;hili##ians @23(

Thessalonians 5231 4 3

Blessed are te #ea1e&a/ers

%!r te* "ill -e 1alled .ildren !% G!d

God is a God of #ea'e and the #ur#ose in sending %esus "as to re'on'ile us to God

God?s &otivation A dee# un-uen'hable love for us God has given to us a &inistry of

re'on'iliation ,e are 'alled to refle't %esus to the "orld Our desire should be for

#ea'e through re'on'iling #eo#le to one another and to God Our &otive li$e God?s(

should be love Anything else "ill not sustain us in a "orld in "hi'h #eo#le are

alienated fro& God and fro& one another !f "e are to be #ea'e&a$ers "e &ust first

$no" #ea'e ourselves so that if "e find ourselves in the &idst of lifes 'onfli'ts and

diffi'ulties "e "ill be able to re&ain ?#ea'e4filled?

!n order to #rote't our #ea'e "e need to loo$ at those things in our lives that destroy

our #ea'e La'$ of #ea'e usually arises fro& 'onfli't Confli't in turn is often #resent

"hen there is a 'lash of "ills or "hen there is so&e 'onfusion( an.iety or fear

!f "e are e.#erien'ing any of these it is #ossible that "e have failed to obey God or are

not trusting in God ;aul says(


16/22

Meditati!n ) #ea1e

Consider your life !s your life #ri&arily #ea'e4filled or riddled "ith 'onfli't Do you

$no" God?s #erfe't #ea'e As you refle't on your life fo'us on the areas that a##ear

dar$ or feel heavy and you "ill see the #la'es in your life "here you do not have God?s

#ea'e As$ God to reveal to you areas in "hi'h you are not fully sub&itted and need

assistan'e You &ay have given only #art of the #roble& to God or you &ay not have

invited God to be the solution Do that no"

Continue to hand over things until you $no" God?s #ea'e Hand over all those things

fro& the #ast( all those things in the #resent Also hand over all those things that you

are a"are of that in the future &ay rob you of your #ea'e Allo" God to 'are for the&

and a''e#t in e.'hange the gift of #ea'e /e&e&ber that #ea'e is a gift that God has

given to you No one 'an ta$e it a"ay fro& you Only you and you alone 'an give it

a"ay /efuse to buy into tur&oil and 'onfusion Ta$e the gift of #ea'e that %esus

offers you and hold onto it On'e you find that #ea'e re&e&ber to 'ontinue to

'o&&une "ith God and d"ell only on those things that are right( #ure( lovely(

ad&irable( e.'ellent or #raise"orthy and you "ill retain God?s #erfe't #ea'e

!f you do not i&&ediately find #ea'e( be #atient "ith yourself God re'ognises our

fragility and is usually &ore gentle "ith us than "e are "ith ourselves Continue to


17/22

Readings: 6atthe" 523:( 6ar$ 32@: 4 @9( !saiah 572@ 4 1

Blessed are t!se "! are #erse1+ted -e1a+se !% Rigte!+sness

%!r teirs is te Kingd!& !% Hea'en

! 'annot thin$ of a faithful bibli'al 'hara'ter "ho did not at so&e ti&e e.#erien'e

#erse'ution As a follo"er of %esus there "ill 'o&e a ti&e "hen you "ill li$ely be

'alled to stand "ith hi& against the o#inion of others +o&eti&es the stand you ta$e

'onvi'ts #eo#le of their o"n sin( their o"n failure and so they turn their feeling of

re)e'tion against you and #erse'ute you

/e)e'tion though #ainful see&s to be an inevitable #art of our hu&an 'ondition ,e

have all at one ti&e or another e.#erien'ed re)e'tion and in turn have re)e'ted others

in'luding %esus As !saiah says(

s'ars are still tender( 'ausing #ain #arti'ularly if #rodded by further e.#erien'es of

re)e'tion Conse-uently "e see$ to avoid situations "hi'h &ay result in re)e'tion To

assist us to stand "ith %esus in the e.#erien'e of #erse'ution "e need to have our

#ainful &e&ories of re)e'tion healed Often they o''urred "hen "e "ere 'hildren

"hen "e "ere vulnerable( though not al"ays



18/22

Meditati!n ) Re2e1ti!n

As$ %esus to ta$e you ba'$ to an e.#erien'e of or the root of your re)e'tion

/e'all the #la'e( the surroundings( the #eo#le "ho "ere #resent Be'o&e a"are of

yourself and your feelings )ust #rior to the e.#erien'e =no" that at this &o&ent %esus

is "ith you You &ay see hi& or )ust sense his #resen'e( but be assured he is "ith you

=no" that he e.#erien'ed dee# and #ainful re)e'tion fro& his o"n $ind and that he

understands and loves you !n $no"ing this( refle't on ho" you no" feel

As you relive the e.#erien'e re&ain fo'used u#on %esus "ho is "ith you After

reliving the e.#erien'e turn to %esus and say(

"ords of the gos#el(

to res#ond to you The ;ro#het !saiah is -uite 'lear in saying that %esus has ta$en on

our sin( our #ain and through hi& "e are healed and have #ea'e

/e&e&ber that if you e.#erien'e #erse'ution or re)e'tion "hat #eo#le are really doing

is re)e'ting their o"n e.#erien'e of #ain( not you ,e are 'harged to have 'oassion

on the& and in doing so "e are #lanting the seeds of the =ingdo& of Heaven

Y!+r Res$!nse:

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19/22

Readings: 3 =ings 3E3 4 3

Blessed are Y!+ "en #e!$le Ins+lt Y!+3 #erse1+te Y!+ and

Sa* all Kinds !% E'il Against Y!+ Be1a+se !% Me4

Re2!i1e and Be Glad

Great is Y!+r Re"ard in Hea'en

God said that it is not good for us to be alone and in 'reating us #la'ed "ithin a need

for the 'oany and friendshi# of others Conse-uently "hen "e are e.'luded( "hen

"e suffer fro& re)e'tion or are insulted it 'an be #ainful and diffi'ult be'ause it

'onfli'ts "ith our God given desire to be in 'o&&union "ith others Being e.'luded

be'ause of our relationshi# "ith %esus does not &a$e it any easier /e)e'tion arising

fro& a desire to share our e.#erien'e of %esus "ith others is even &ore #ainful as "e

are only see$ing to share "ith others the treasure "e have in Christ or be'ause "e are

being obedient to Hi&

During these ti&es things 'an see& so he'ti' and 'onfusing and #ainful for us that "e

lose any sense of God !n a $ind of s#iritual #ani' "e run hither and thither 'rying out

to God to brea$ through( to s#ea$ to us All the "hile "e fail to see God "ho stands in

the &idst of it all

!t "as only after running in fear of his life then travelling forty days and nights that

8li)ah e.hausted( finally sto##ed and "as still enough to allo" God to brea$ through

God?s revelation "as not in the great and #o"erful "ind that tore the &ountains a#art

and shattered ro'$s( not in the &ighty earth-ua$e and not in the bla>ing fire( but in the

stillness of a gentle "his#er

God reveals Hi&self in sile and une.#e'ted "ays After the turbulen'e of the

#re'eding &o&ents 8li)ah 'ould easily have &issed the gentle "his#er of God?s

revelation Had he not been attentive( had he been over'o&e "ith fear or anger he &ay

have &issed it But 8li)ah re&ained still and this enabled hi& to hear the voi'e of God

!n the last days of his life 4 after and in the &idst of great #ain and suffering for both

hi& and his fa&ily 4 a friend?s father "as as$ed(


20/22

Meditati!n ) Wis$er

The "ords of the #sal&ist en'ourage us to(


21/22

Readings:6atthe" 523 4 39( 929:( /o&ans 523( 8#hesians 729:

Te Beatit+des

!t see&s that "hen life is going "ell "e have no diffi'ulty in seeing God?s hand at

"or$ But "hen "e e.#erien'e #ain or diffi'ulties there is a tetation to as$

As you listen to the beatitudes be a"are of any s#ar$ of re'ognition "ithin you Do

you re'ognise yourself in there Are you #oor( hungry( at "ar At "hat #oint is there a

groan "ithin !s there yearning to re'eive the #arti'ular blessing #ro&ised These

#ro&ises "ill &inister to your #ain or your desires As you refle't on the Beatitudes

listen for the #roting of the +#irit "ithin

Blessed are the #oor in s#irit( for theirs is the $ingdo& of heaven Blessed are those

"ho &ourn( for they "ill be 'o&forted Blessed are the &ee$( for they "ill inherit the

earth Blessed are those "ho hunger and thirst for righteousness( for they "ill be filled

Blessed are the &er'iful( for they "ill be sho"n &er'y Blessed are the #ure in heart(

for they "ill see God Blessed are the #ea'e&a$ers( for they "ill be 'alled sons of

God

Blessed are those "ho are #erse'uted be'ause of righteousness( for theirs is the

$ingdo& of heaven Blessed are you "hen #eo#le insult you( #erse'ute you and falsely

say all $inds of evil against you be'ause of &e /e)oi'e and be glad( be'ause great is

your re"ard in heaven( for in the sa&e "ay they #erse'uted the #ro#hets "ho "ere

before you

God does not al"ays 'hoose to #ut us in #la'es "here "e are 'oetent and in 'ontrol

At ti&es "e are #la'ed "here our "ea$nesses are e.#osed so that "e "ill rea'h a #oint

of surrender for this is "here "e invite God to &eet our need As our needs are &et

our "ea$ness( our falleness( our #ain then be'o&e God?s gifts be'ause they are not

ta$en a"ay( but "e are transfor&ed as "e stand a&ongst our #overty( or #ain or

#erse'ution God 'an &ore abundantly bless us in areas "here "e are destitute Our

#overty brings God?s ri'hes( our #ain brings God?s healing( our #erse'ution brings

God?s deliveran'e and )oy



22/22

Meditati!n ) Te Beatit+des

One of the na&es used to des'ribe God is %ehovah %ireh( the Great ;rovider This is an

as#e't of God?s 'hara'ter Are you "illing to allo" God to be the #rovider in your life

Are you "illing to allo" God to &eet your need

As you &eet "ith God first as$ that God "ill sho" you your need

On'e your need has been revealed to you surrender it into God?s hands !&agine

yourself a'tually doing this You &ay need to as$ for hel# to do so

0inally as$ God to hel# you see that "here you are( your 'ir'u&stan'es( your situation(

is a gift to you Any need you &ay have )ust as$ God "ho delights in &eeting your

needs

Do not see$ to be delivered fro& "here you are but( so that God &ight be glorified( as$

that your need &ight be &et As you build a relationshi# of trust based on e.#erien'e

you "ill re)oi'e and be glad in adverse 'ir'u&stan'es even before God res#onds

be'ause you $no" your need "ill bring about God?s ri'hest blessings

The dar$er the night the stronger God?s light


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Meditations on the Beatitudes.

Documents