The Law in 90 Days: Exodus 33-34
SCRIPTURE READING
Matthew 5:5 (ESV); Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
If we wanted to find a fairly accurate description of the human race then one thing that we
could do is take all the opposites of the Beatitudes. The exact opposites of the virtues in
the Beatitudes are the very qualities that we see running rampant in humanity today. Instead
of poverty of spirit we find pride, instead of mourners we find pleasure seekers, instead of
meekness we find arrogance, instead of hungering after righteousness we find people striving
for wealth and material things, instead of mercy we find cruelty, instead of purity of heart we
find corrupt images, instead of peacemakers we find quarrelers and those that don’t forgive,
instead of rejoicing in mistreatment we find that humans fight back. Humanity is plagued with
heartache but does anyone bother to ask why? Could it be that a great many of our greatest
problems spring directly from these sins? Pride, arrogance, resentfulness, evil thoughts,
hatred, and greed: these are the source of more human pain throughout history than any
disease! When Jesus spoke the Beatitudes He was not uttering an opinion, He knew and
could say “blessed are…” with complete authority. It is wise for us to listen to what He teaches
and apply it to our lives. Jesus teachings were simple and the main the message was one of
humility, charity, and brotherly love. He taught the importance of transformation of the inner
person. Jesus presents the Beatitudes in a positive sense, virtues in life which will ultimately
lead to eternal rewards. Take a moment and read them in your Bible (Matt 5:3-12), meditate
on them, pray through them.
PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Which of the beatitudes speaks to you the most? Why?
2. Ask the Lord which of the beatitudes you need to work on, and then ask the Lord to give
you a practical idea for how to grow in this area.
3. Pray that as a church, we would be known as a people full of these Christian virtues.
Pray that one by one God would transform the lives of the Christians in our region so that
we are exemplifying the Christian life that God intended for us to live.
