Growing up I sang a song in church that proclaimed the words of the Beatitudes. The words rhythmically flowed as each line began with “Blessed are you”. As I sang the words, peace seemed to enter reassuring me that I somehow could live out these words in my own life.

As time moved on, I no longer sing the words of the Beatitudes, but have read them in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew. I read through them again recently and this time chose the Message version for the translation. I love the description of the Beatitudes in the Message version, but also the practical advice that accompanies each one.

For the next few weeks, I am challenging myself to not only read the Beatitudes, but apply them and see how I can live them in my own life. I hope you’ll join me on this journey and work on discovering how the Beatitudes can lead us closer to Christ.

The Message tells us in Matthew 5, “you’re blessed when you are at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.”

[Tweet “You’re blessed when… Come read the Beatitudes and challenge yourself to a closer walk with Jesus.”]

Those powerful words convict me that I’m really not all that and a bag of chips as the saying goes. There are days that less of me feels like an impossibility as I furiously work toward accomplishing all my agenda tells me to complete. I crave more of “me” and the accolades that accompany the finished products. I gain nothing in the process but a big head and a fleeting feeling of pride.

On the days where I foolishly fill myself with the empty promises of the world, I find little joy and less satisfaction. Too many days like this become oddly overwhelming as I look for deeper satisfaction and come up empty each time. It sounds ironic to believe that less of you will give you more of God. But when Jesus lived on Earth, He chose to kneel rather than place Himself above anyone else. Jesus modeled humility instead of proudly proclaiming HIs miracles to all. He did not want attention brought to Himself but chose to tell the crowd “don’t tell anyone what I have just done.” Do you believe it is possible to become less so Jesus is more?

This first beatitude is teaching me …

I experience God best when my agenda becomes His instead of mine.

When I intentionally plan my time around God and center my day around Him, I find peace. The stress of trying to accomplish more dissipates because I made room for God to lead me.

Letting go of the loud voices of the world feels good because I lack all control in this arena. Knowing that God is sovereign allows me to function on the days I just want to throw in the towel.

When we are at the end of our rope, God is there to catch us. We are blessed because we let go and let God. He is capable when life tries to control us and says we can’t possibly complete our tasks. God is the blessing at the end of the rope and falling into His arms is the landing that provides safety, comfort and the “enough” to match our “not enough”.

How can you let go of the rope today, believing that you will fall into God’s arms?

Sabbath blessings,

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