Tuesday, July 16, 2013

By: Rachelle Hitt Bilbo

 

Day 1: The Beatitudes (Matthew 5)

 

Happiness is Never Far Off

 

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

  

I recently met a young family who has experienced much tragedy in their less than three decades of life. They have lost a child, a close friend and their home, and they have experienced much rejection from people they loved and trusted.

 

This family's story is so heartbreaking, but their response to the adversity in their lives is even more amazing. Although the couple has shed many tears over the loss and rejection in their lives, they told me that they are really okay. They said that sometimes they ask each other if it is strange that they can still be happy. However, they recognize that their peace and joy come from the Lord.

 

According to the nine beatitudes in Matthew 5, they are very blessed. Each line begins with "Blessed are the..." and is followed by nine types of people who will be blessed: the poor in spirit, the mourners, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted.

 

The word blessed is defined in the Greek as "Happy." You may wonder, how could those who mourn and who are persecuted be blessed...be happy?" How can this young family be happy in light of what they have gone through?

 

The word happy is defined by Webster as "well-being and contentment; effective, or well adapted."

 

Today's verse says that it is God Who gives us peace that "passes all understanding..." It doesn't make sense for my new friends to be able to face each day with such resilience and tenacity. However, their ability to be content, to still be able to get out of bed and be effective, and to adapt to the new circumstances is not some super-human personality trait. It's a gift that is available to all of us.

 

This all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 8-9 reveals, "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

 

I challenge you today to always seek God for peace. We can search for peace in many places and in many things but TRUE, EVERLASTING peace and BLESSINGS come from God. John 14:27 says that Jesus gives us peace....peace that cannot be found in the world.

 

Dear Lord, I thank You that even in my darkest hour, I am NOT destroyed. I can find happiness in YOU.

 

I thank You, my Jesus, for dying for me. I believe that You are Lord and that God raised You from the grave so that I can have eternal life.