Committed to Him

"And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Matthew 5:1-12 NKJV

Right before this, Jesus had been traveling around the region healing people and casting out demons, preaching repentance because the kingdom of heaven is near. Multitudes of people were impacted and wanted more. When Jesus saw the multitudes, He went up a mountain. His disciples came to Him, and He sat down and began teaching them about the kingdom of heaven. This moment marks what many call the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, when Jesus begins speaking the Beatitudes. For all who truly want to follow Jesus and be His disciples, this is what He tells them: Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers. He goes on to say that blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, and He tells His disciples that they are blessed when people persecute them and falsely say all kinds of evil against them for His sake, explaining that this is how the prophets before them were treated.

What Jesus teaches us is that this kingdom is not measured by earthly currency. The world does not consider persecution a blessing, nor does it desire to be poor, merciful, or to seek righteousness. Instead, the world demands power, wealth, and self-made kingdoms rather than submission to God’s kingdom. But Jesus calls those who will seek righteousness over riches, who will leave all they have known to be with Him. He tells His disciples that because He is with them, when they mourn, He will comfort them. Those who are poor in spirit—who recognize their need for God—are promised the kingdom of heaven, because God’s power is perfected in the weak. And that those who are meek, who understand the power and authority they have been given but do not use it to tear others down, will inherit the earth. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled, and when the world rises against us because we love God, we are blessed, because God is with us and a reward awaits us in heaven. Jesus said that as long as we are in the world we will face hardship but He said to not be afraid because He has already overcome the world.

Pray with me: Lord, thank you for what you have done so that I can receive what you have for me.

You are more than all that this world has to offer, so I say yes to what You want, Your purposes, Your plans, and Your will. Thank you, Lord.