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Matthew
5 The Message (MSG)
You’re
Blessed
5 1-2 When
Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who
were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet
place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:
3 “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With
less of you there is more of God and his rule.
4 “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.
5 “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.
6 “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.
7 “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being
‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.
8 “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and
heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
9 “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.
10 “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes
persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.
11-12 “Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people
put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it
means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable.
You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t
like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good
company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of
trouble.
Salt
and Light
13 “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be
salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your
saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will
end up in the garbage.
14-16 “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light,
bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re
going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers,
you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you
on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light
stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to
others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in
heaven.
So, I leave for Haiti in just a few short days. Our team of 5 has been named “In the Vine” as
we prepare to go and enter in to all that Jesus has for us. I’ve been not only reading through the Gospel
of John to understand and embrace closely the message He intended about “THE
VINE” but even more, so drawn intimately to Matthew 5 in The Message
translation. Here are some of my
thoughts before I go!
I can only imagine there will be at least one day
when I feel like I am at the end of “my” rope.
How thankful I am that I can hang on to the knot God provides for me in
a 3 cord rope of strength. He is my
sustenance – I will need more of Him as I pour myself out.
Oh how I do not understand what it means to lose
things and people so dear – through tragedy such as the earthquake Haiti still
struggles to overcome, and the current tornado that just ripped up Oklahoma
earth and ended the lives of months old children to adults who are moms, dads,
aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers and grandparents. The promise is I am blessed because I care,
because HE cared first. As a result, I
will be in position to see more of God in an outside world I am not used to.
Will I hunger for more of Him, and learn how to be
more content in the days I spend among the Haitian people? I daresay the answer is yes. Will I appreciate more blessings I take for
granted in my American life? Laundry is done by hand where I am going! There is no air conditioning. Electricity can be intermittent.
Verses 13-16 challenge me! Saltiness and being useful…and I am to be light, bringing out
God-colors. I can only imagine what
God-color can look like at this point in time.
What do God-colors look like in Haiti?
I’m sort of limited to the image of Christmas lights. But, God colors have to be so much more than
that. God is not a secret, neither is
His light! I am His city on a hill – God
colors and God light – clearly to be seen – clearly to shine.
I asking God to make me an open house before I go –
that I can be very generous in pouring out everything I have to offer within my
life. I desire to open up to God’s will,
for it is the only way others who may not know Him now – will see Him, and see
His generosity. Our team has been
blessed with many things to provide to the ministry team in Haiti. Those are temporal. I hope we leave a spiritual and lasting
legacy that will be eternal and forever change and shape the lives of the Haitian
women, children and men we meet, and those women and children we are
specifically going to serve and love.
Verses 11-12….And all heaven applauds! Even previous prophets and witnesses have
gotten into places they are both comfortable and uncomfortable in God’s
service. I am in good company and I am excited to meet some of the children below!
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