CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE DAILY DEVOTIONAL ON YOUTUBE
Matthew 5:1-3
Jesus declares in Matthew 5:3 (NKJV),
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Poor in spirit is referring to one who is not necessarily poor financially but one who realized the need for God in their life. The opposite of “poor in spirit” would be one who is proud, arrogant, or self-centered, referring to one who believes he or she has no need of God in their life because they have it all figured out for themselves.
To understand the need for God in one’s life is a basic need in understanding the relationship that God desires for us to have with Him. To realize this in humility to God as our Creator is a beginning step in having a proper relationship with Him. To be “poor in spirit” is not to be looked down on but is the reflection of humility showing our need for God, His blessings, and guidance in our lives. What blessing will the “poor in spirit” receive for their humility to God? Matthew 5:3 (NKJV) teaches us, “For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” This should be the goal of all who humble themselves to the need for God in their lives – to live for eternity in heaven!
This is a promise of God’s blessing for the poor in spirit.
Jesus taught the woman at the well in John 4:23-24 (NIV), “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” Before we begin to worship God, we must realize that He is our Creator. We must realize that He is the source of life. We must realize our need to have a relationship with Him for guidance and healing, among other things. We must humble ourselves before Him and acknowledge our need for Him – to Him. We must exhibit a sincere desire to repent/turn from our sinful nature and humbly present ourselves to God in a spirit of dependence to God. We must leave pride, arrogance, and self-centeredness behind us as these are the ways of Satan which got him expelled from heaven forever.
To be poor in spirit is to acknowledge our need for God to save us from sin – to save us from our selfish attitudes of this world. To be poor in spirit is to open our humbled hearts to the love that God has given us to set us free from sin. John 3:16-18 (ESV) teaches us, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
Dear LORD,
We are a proud people with arrogant and self-centered attitudes. Please help us to put this way of life aside as it only leads to death for eternity. But please help us to see the importance of putting You first in our lives as is our need for Your guidance, healing, and forgiveness. Please help us to see that being poor in spirit is simply realizing our need to humble ourselves to You as our Creator and Savior. Please help us to see in humility our need for a Savior – a Savior that forgives sin and redeems us to a right relationship with You. Please help us to open our hearts to Jesus in humility – in poorness of spirit – that we may receive the eternal blessing of the kingdom of heaven. In Jesus name I pray, amen.