Jan. 6, 2021
God gives Abram a promise, but it comes with an action step: “Go to the land I will show you, and I will make you great.” Trusting God, Abram packed and left.
Along the way, Abram built altars. Altars were places to meet with God and markers of His promises. They were a way to connect with God and remember significant conversations.
When famine strikes, Abram leaves, and this time fear takes hold. In Egypt, Abram lies about who Sarai is so they wouldn’t kill him to take his wife. When Pharaoh calls Abram on his lie, the whole family is sent packing.
Abram’s direction changes, literally and spiritually, after Pharaoh confronts him. He returns to the altar where it all began and cries out to God. Soon, Abram begins acting in faith again — taking the high road when jealousy threatens his relationship with Lot, rescuing Lot when Sodom is destroyed, and honoring the priest of the Lord Most High.
In a message known as the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explains who will be blessed in His kingdom. He lists several groups of people no one would have expected — the poor, meek, mourning, humble, hungry, merciful, and persecuted.
Known as the beatitudes, Matthew 5:1-11 shows a stark contrast between Jesus’ values and our world’s values. Society teaches us to hustle to get ahead, but Jesus says blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth.
The Greek word translated as “blessed” means “happy, blissful” or literally, “to be enlarged.” Our joy is enlarged as we take on the attitude of Christ.
To be blessed in Jesus’ kingdom has nothing to do with wealth or power. To be blessed in His kingdom is to find hope and joy independent of our circumstances.
Make It Personal
- What parts of Abram’s journey can you most relate to?
- What comes to mind when you think about what it means to be blessed? How does your understanding of blessing differ from what Jesus describes?