Blessed Are the Meek (Matthew 5:5).

In our daily meditations, we closely examine Jesus’ opening words of the Beatitudes in what is commonly known as The Sermon on the Mount. What did the Lord mean when He said that God spiritually approves (blesses) those who are meek?

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).

The word meek describes a stallion whose strength is brought under control after the animal is broken of its self-will. The animal loses nothing of its strength by being broken; it is now able to be used for suitable purposes. Meekness refers to our will being aligned with God's will and denotes self-control when faced with difficulties and trials. Our example is the Lord Jesus, who “when he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23).

Oxen were trained by being yoked to another, more mature animal. Jesus, I think, alluded to this when He said, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30; emphasis added). When we come to Christ and His Spirit enters our lives, we are “yoked” or “joined” to the Lord: “But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him” (1 Corinthians 6:17). When we are joined in a covenant relationship to Christ, if we are willing, God's Spirit imparts to us the humility and meekness of Christ, i.e., strength under control. What Jesus was saying is that those who allow the Spirit of Christ to impart the character qualities of Christ, His meekness, shall inherit the earth (v. 5).

Blessed Are the Hungry and Thirsty (v. 6)

The fourth Beatitude again addresses our attitude toward God. Genuinely born-again believers, filled with the Spirit of God, are always hungry and thirsty to be right with Him. Within the child of God, a hunger and thirst for God's righteousness arise. Before I met the Lord Jesus, the mention of His name or the things of God meant nothing to me; however, after encountering Christ, I sought out and consumed anything related to the truth of God and the Lord Jesus. Just the mention of the name of Jesus in a nearby conversation caused me to listen closely. God creates a thirst within us that drives the child of God toward the things of God. The more you meditate on His Word, acknowledge Him, and feel His presence, the more you will grieve over the things that oppose His character. Isn’t that how it is when we love someone? When we hear insulting and belittling words about the one we love, it hurts us deeply. The Holy Spirit will give us an appetite for spiritual food and a longing to know God's presence and experience more of Him.

When touring the desert climate of Israel, one learns that in the days of Jesus, one couldn't go far without water. So when David was hiding from King Saul, he had to travel from one water spring to another. Even though he was enduring such hardship at the hands of King Saul, he likened his thirst for water to his desire for God, saying, “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1). There is a weariness that comes when we see so much evil occurring all around us. Satan’s strategy is that “he shall wear out the saints of the Most High” (Daniel 7:25). God, who sees all and knows what His people endure, considers those with a thirst and hunger to be continually in right standing with Him; He calls them spiritually approved or blessed. May you experience God’s transformation in your character and, with it, the power of a blessed life. Keith Thomas

This meditation is from a more complete study found at the following link: The Beatitudes

The YouTube video is at the following link: https://youtu.be/9y-1KKJGLSo