Time with God - August 23
Friday, 23 August 2019
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
Learn to put God and others before yourself as you interact with them!
The Greek word for ‘meek’ used here is also used in Galatians 6:1, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” And also 1 Peter 3:15, “In your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”
So what does meekness mean? Meekness is saying to God, “Not my will but yours be done.” It’s truly giving up control of your life to the will of God and saying, “God I submit myself to you, to do with as you please”.
Towards our fellow man, it’s the attitude of the heart that puts others first, not just in what we do and the things we give them but in the way we interact with them.
If someone wrongs you, forgive them. Put them first in your heart. So often we feel that when we are wronged, we need to demand justice be done or we need to express our displeasure. But isn’t that making our feelings more important than theirs? There are times when we need to address a wrong or a hurt. That’s right and good, but we must do it from a position of gentleness and meekness.
What’s our reward when we do so? We will partake in God’s reward by living in the new heaven and the new earth. In this life we may be ridiculed by people, we may be beaten up. But true meekness is not weak—it has at its heart a strong knowledge of our value to God and his love for us.
Ask God now to give you a true meekness toward him. Also ask him to remind you next time you are wronged by someone and are tempted to retaliate, to help you rest in the knowledge of who you are in him.
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