“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).
In our daily meditations, we are looking closely at Jesus’ opening words of the Beatitudes in what’s commonly called The Sermon on the Mount. What did the Lord mean when He said that God spiritually approves (blesses) those who are meek? The word meek described a stallion whose strength was brought under control after the animal was broken of his self-will. The animal lost nothing of its strength by being broken; it was now able to be used for suitable means. Meekness speaks of our will being aligned with God's will and speaks of 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, 28Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For 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 is again about our attitude toward God. The genuinely born-again believers, having the Spirit of God living in them, are always hungry and thirsty to be right with God. Within the child of God, hunger and a 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, but after encountering Christ, I sought out and consumed anything to do with 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 propels the child of God to the things of God. The more you meditate on His Word, acknowledge Him, and know His presence, the more you will grieve over the things that are opposite to His character. Isn’t that the way 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 the presence of God 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 go from one water spring to another. Even though he was going through 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 going on 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 the things His people go through, considers the one with a thirst and hunger to be continually in right standing with God; He calls them spiritually approved or blessed. May you know 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
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