The Beatitudes - The Message

Angel Phot "Gone" by Lestatis

"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are--no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.
"You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.
"You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being "carefull,' you find yourselves cared for.
"You're blessed when you get your inside world--your mind and heart--put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
"You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.
"You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom."   - Matthew 5:3-10 The Message

This was in my Bible reading for today and I just am struck by how Eugene Peterson's paraphrase. It has touched my heart deeply today. As I try to live my "One Little Word" Devotion this year, I find myself once again reading along with the One Year Bible Blog.  I enjoy his commentary so much.  The beatitudes seem so impossible to live and yet we strive to follow - because Christ teaches us to and shows us that we are blessed or happy because of this type of heart-attitude.

We have gone through a very difficult time lately in our family and there are some things I really don't understand. It is harder as a mom when it affects my daughter - maybe even harder than when it happens to me personally. Someone we love deeply has walked out of our life and this is just really difficult to understand and the grief is very real. I know in time we will adjust, but for now, reading the beatitudes has given me comfort.

So I will be meditating on these verses this week and drowning my sorrow in art. Of course! God bless.

P.S. The blog of the photographer of the angel above is here.