In the next few weeks I want to discuss a famous bit of the Bible with you. Before we do that, I want you to read it for yourself in as many versions and revisions as you need to…
While you do that… Think about this list of sayings as they impact our relationships with God, self, and others. The passage is Matthew 5:1-12. Here it is from the NIV:
1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying:
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
I’m looking forward to the conversation and to better relationships in my life and yours!
Blessings,
Michael
And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. – Gen. 1:2b, ESV
Inspire. What’s that mean…literally? It means “to breathe into…” If I give you CPR, I inspire you in a very concrete way.
A friend of mine who is an orthodox rabbi tells me that God’s speech in creating is God breathing, for there can be no speech without breath. He continues to explain that the Hebrew text lacks vowels because it isn’t the word of the LORD until spoken… breathed… in community.
Oh…and the “Spirit of God” is literally the “Breath of God”… The transliterated Hebrew is Ruach HaKodesh, IIRC.
Application:
- How & Where is God giving you CPR … that is, breathing LIFE into you?
- How & where are you exhaling God’s breath? Who benefits? (Remember…exhaling is a subtle thing… not necessarily breaking your favorite guitar over someone’s head! ) Are you giving away what you’ve been given?
- Part of the principle that the text is just a dusty old book until read in community leads us to the fact that the Bible is a Community story. It should be discussed, understood, and lived in a community that includes you, God, and others. (It doesn’t have to be a church, btw…) How are you including the Bible in your community (family, friends, etc)? How are you at trusting God to breathe into your community an understanding of how he interacted with others and will interact with you?
Join the conversation!
I look forward to hearing from you about how this one sentence weaves its way through your experience.
Blessings.
/jmt
She may be taller than her mother, but she’s still a child. Well, a ‘tween, actually. I couldn’t help but think, “My God! Mary wasn’t much older than this when Gabriel spoke to her.”
She may be taller than her mother, but she’s still a child. Well, a ‘tween, actually. I couldn’t help but think, “My God! Mary wasn’t much older than this when Gabriel spoke to her.”
I hope you enjoy your time on the site and that something in these pages encourages your journey along the Way of Jesus. All thoughts here are my own and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts of others or of organizations with which I am affiliated. 
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