Devo for 08/25/2024 service- Message by Pastor Clint Sprague

Pastor Clint's message last weekend continued the series "The Way that Leads to Life," focusing on the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapters 5-7. Last week, he started at the end of chapter 7. This week, he began with the first of the Beatitudes, Matthew 5:3 - "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."

The main point of the message is that being "poor in spirit" means recognizing our spiritual poverty, in other words, acknowledging that we are fully aware of our need for God to awaken us spiritually. To be "poor in spirit" is to humble ourselves before the Lord and acknowledge that we need what He has for us. We are dependent on Him.

I was pondering the concept of dependency and came to the realization that we are designed to rely on something. Our natural inclination is to seek dependence. With that, I would submit that it makes perfect sense that our dependency is most beneficial when it is centered on the one who created us: God. By obediently depending on God, we receive His promises of blessings, favor, guidance, wisdom, and much more.

I think we all have a natural (fleshly and worldy) tendency to reject the notion we need to depend on someone or something.  I believe this also becomes a speed bump in many areas in our lives and keeps us from walking in the freedom we are created to walk in.  But our Father is always there for us, waiting for us to say Yes to His promises.   Just look at what God says about what He will do for His children in Hosea:

“Yet it is I who taught Ephraim to walk, I took them in My arms; But they did not know that I healed them. I led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love, And I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws; And I bent down and fed them.” Hosea 11:3-4

This verse demonstrates the loving character of God.  David Guzik described it this way, 

“God humbled Himself to minister to His needy people.  One might almost think it is beneath the dignity and honor of God to stoop so for His people, but He never thinks so.  This is the heart reflected in the servant nature of Jesus.” 

Our Creator, our Good Father, humbles Himself to minister to US!  He doesn’t have to, but he created us and He wants to take care of His children!

All He asks from us is to humble ourselves, invite Him into all aspects of our lives, run to Him in good times and bad, and walk in humility and obedience.   The rewards are many if we do! 

Don’t forget to invite God into your day!

Galatians 5-22-23

Proverbs 11:2

Psalm 10:17

1 Peter 5:6