It's a Promise!

Still studying the Sermon on the Mount. I counted the number of verses in the sermon. There are 106. We are currently on verse 3! This is rich stuff...

Shane spoke again recently. He gave us an explanation of mourning and what it means for us to embrace this feeling in a heart lovesick for God and not where we were created to be. He showed us that mourning was not uncommon even for Jesus. There is a greater future coming, a culmination of a journey bigger than you or I, that will "bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ" (Eph 1:10). We were created to love Him and be loved by Him. Our future home is with Him forever, joined in intimacy and moving in step with His heart. The King of Heaven is going to split the sky and come to this earth for His people, His bride made ready for the wedding day seen in Revelation.

The key to the time in between is to know the end of the story. Though we mourn our own lack now, realizing the wickedness of our own hearts and how easily we give ourselves to lesser pleasures than to the One who loves us, there is an amazing future ahead. Embrace the lack in your life, He says, for you will be comforted. It's a promise! The Son of God has said it is so.

Embracing the Sermon and building well produces changes now. But, they are not always what you expect. Jesus said you are blessed when you realize your povery of spirit. He said you are blessed when you mourn your lack. The word for "blessed" is an interesting one...from the Strong's concordance, it says:

G3107
μακάριος
makarios
mak-ar'-ee-os
A prolonged form of the poetical μάκαρ makar (meaning the same); supremely blest; by extension fortunate, well off: - blessed, happy (X -ier).

Hmmmmm...supremely blessed! Well off. Happy. Some have even translated the term "extremely happy". Embracing your lack, knowing that there is more and longing for it, from the viewpoint of Heaven, is being well off, happy and supremely blessed. I love it! It's what we don't know about God and His kingdom that makes me excited and hungry for more. As a friend of mine loved to say, His kingdom is upsidedown!

Be blessed to embrace your weakness before Him! He is so wonderful. And, your future is secure and wonderful as you press forward into the One who waits for you. He is doing a good work in you and you are going to love how it ends :)

Brian Creary

Ministry Director