February 21: Are We Poor in Spirit?
♫ Music:
WEEK THREE
February 21- February 27
Theme: BLESSINGS OF THE KINGDOM: THE BEATITUDES
The beatitudes describe the attributes and rewards of Christ’s disciples. They are helpful for us to contemplate since they model character qualities of those who have entered Christ’s kingdom, a place where God is at work in lives and difficult situations. In the beatitudes and the Sermon of the Mount, the kingdom of heaven is discussed not only in its present state but also in its future dispensation. According to author John Piper, the beatitudes are “words of celebration for disciples, words of invitation for the crowds, and for some they are words of transformation--by the power and mercy of God.”
Sunday, February 21
Scripture: Matthew 5:3
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
ARE WE POOR IN SPIRIT?
Being poor in spirit is underrated for those of us who have nothing to be poor about. I am speaking not simply of financial or material poverty, but of all forms of poverty that leads us to experience that lowly place. For some of us, it may be a poverty of relationship experienced through loss of a loved one. For others, it may be a poverty of hope as life keeps throwing seemingly insurmountable circumstances our way. Poverty can come in many forms.
Whatever our context may be, our experiences of poverty - if we let them touch our hearts - brings us to a desperate, needy and broken place. It brings us to a place where we are poor in spirit. Life reminds us that we are not God. It also reminds us that we certainly are not in control.
It is when we become poor in this way that we finally have space to accept what our human self-sufficiency, goodness, and pride never could. If we let ourselves acknowledge it, our vulnerability helps us to enter an experiential reality where we finally taste our need for a God and Savior who is bigger than ourselves. Is it not at these moments of poverty that our confessed acknowledgement of God, as well as our need and desire for him to save us, are most genuine? Our raw, unfiltered words to him shared in our fragile states are beautiful to God. They are beautiful to him because they are words that come from our truest selves, free of the pretense and customs of cultural thought and action we too easily hide ourselves under.
The two art and music associated with today's devotional articulately capture this movement of how being poor in spirit causes the humble and broken soul to turn to the Lord. Both may be beautiful or even haunting pieces to experience if things are going well. However, if you are going through dark times and clinging to the Lord as your only hope, my guess is that your experience of these pieces would be drastically different. You would approach them with an intensity of understanding that comes from knowledge and experience. Context has the uncanny way of doing that. It allows what was previously objective or neutral to suddenly become intimately personal.
Are we aware that there are deep parts of our souls that remain in poverty, untouched by the light? Is this a reality we can acknowledge about ourselves today? Our truth is that in our poverty and weakness God is all the stronger. However, we must acknowledge our need of, and for, him and actually mean it! Ours is the kingdom of heaven, who are poor in spirit.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for the hope we have because of you to one day join you in heaven. Help us to acknowledge and confess our need for you in those places of our lives where we are still not poor in spirit. May we then be able to experience your heavenly kingdom in those places as we do. Only you can help us to do this. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Sara Kim, Missionary & Alumna, Institute of Spiritual Formation
The Believers Project
Jordi Pizarro
Photograph
About the Artist and Art
New Delhi-based documentary photographer Jordi Pizarro (b. 1985) was born in Barcelona and primarily works in South Asia. His photography focuses on social and environmental concerns that affect communities not covered by traditional media stories. The Believers is an ongoing project documenting the traditions and rituals of religious communities in ten different countries over four continents, exploring what he calls “the mental state of faith.” Pizarro’s work has appeared in international magazines including National Geographic, The New York Times, Time, Forbes, and Foreign Policy, among others.
www.jordipizarro.com
About the Music
“Blessed are the Poor”
Lyrics
Blessed are the poor,
Sitting in the lowest seat,
Humbly washing another's feet,
Quietly rising to serve.
Despised by many—
Knowing power, wealth and fame—
Struggling for a lasting name,
In a world which soon will end.
These are the chosen,
So very small in worldly size,
Lovingly cherished in their Father's eyes,
Yes blessed are the poor.
Blessed are the poor,
Those who know their need for You,
Who have so little to give to You,
But who give You what they have.
Living on their knees,
Knowing a hunger encompassing all,
Humbly living as ones so small,
Yes blessed are the poor.
About the Musician
Called a “songwriter, storyteller, and troubadour for our time,” Steve Bell (b. 1960) is a Canadian musician who uses artful word and song to encourage Christian faith and thoughtful living. Bell has been performing and touring since he was eight years old. The son of a prison chaplain, he learned how to play guitar from federal prisoners at Drumheller Penitentiary in Alberta. Bell has released 18 albums, toured worldwide, and has earned numerous awards including two JUNO Awards and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
www.stevebell.com