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THE POWER BEHIND THE MEEK
Happy New Year to you from Stepping It Up! As nature enjoys its season of rest and hibernation, we embrace the new beginning 2012 offers us. What will we do with this gift of freshly made days, weeks, and months that lay ahead? They can only be unwrapped one day at a time, and each bursts with the potential of peace and power!
I think it's good timing as we continue our journey through the Beatitudes in Matthew chapter five. A new year often gives a jumpstart to old disciplines and fresh goals. God has a good goal for us to aim for this year. It's found in 2 Peter 3:16 - ...grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. I like that. Clear-cut and to the point. Grace is God's divine influence upon our life. It extends our opportunity to learn of God and his righteousness. Knowledge of Christ Jesus prepares us to live according to his will. The Word of God empowers us to grow in our faith. The beatitudes give us a clearer picture of the image of Christ. And they mold the believer into holiness and make it possible to live under God's blessings. A sense of mystery surrounds this experience. Let us be fascinated by the beatitudes' unique promises.
Shanda Grubb-Gobeli
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 To be blessed is to experience and know the favor of God. When the angel appeared to Mary, the mother of Jesus, he called her "blessed". She had found favor with the Most High God (Luke 1:28). Followers of Jesus the Christ find favor with God as we adopt and accept his lifestyle here on earth. Mary carried baby Jesus for nine months and raised him. Yet we are also blessed because we are now the temple of his Holy Spirit, the same Spirit who raised Christ from the grave! God's life is born in us and causes us to live as he lived, walk like he walked, triumph over sin and death like he did. Wow!
One of the fruit of the Spirit is meekness (Galatians 5:22, 23). This is an understated, misunderstood, and generally swept under the rug quality of God's Spirit within us. We must scrape off the layers of weakness commonly associated with meekness. What a shame that this suffers so much neglect and abuse from the very people to whom it has been given. But not any more! There's too much at stake. After all, according to Matthew 5:5 we have an inheritance riding on it!
The meek are promised to inherit the earth. This incredible statement resolves so many "issues". We were born into selfishness and needs which drive humans to scramble and scratch the way to the top. Looking out for number one is the most common number one priority in this world. But only disappointment and frustration wait for those who insist on having it their way (Psalm 1:4, 6b). The Lord has proven himself trustworthy of his promises. The same God who provided a miraculous way for eternal life also promises to fulfill our deepest longings right now if we turn to him first.
But the redeemed of God have been reborn into a new and living way. Now we can rest secure in the plans and purposes of the Lord (Jer. 29:11). Meekness demonstrates an absolute security in our Heavenly Father's promises and provision. The things of God and of his kingdom guarantees satisfaction (Matthew 6:33)! To become meek means living with confidence in and gratefulness for what the Lord has provided, is providing, and all that he promises to provide. Earthly power, possessions, and position fade like the morning mist (James 1:11).
Christ showed us a perfect example of meekness without weakness. He knew who he was (John 14:6). He trusted his Father in every situation (Matthew 26:39). He kept the bigger picture in view (Hebrews 12:2). Even in his most difficult moments before the cross, he surrendered his human angst over to the Father God. In exchange, what did he get? Perhaps some would respond with sarcasm, pointing only to the torturous death he received in return for his faithfulness. However, we know the story didn't end at the cross! When Jesus refused to suspend the Father's will for a temporal comfort, he was able to draw from holy power not only to endure death, but also to obtain resurrection. What a fantastic example of dying to selfish gain and the wondrous rewards attached!
May we hold everything in this world with open hands, knowing that the best is yet to come!
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