The
Beatitudes that begin the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew are one
of the most talked about sections of the New Testament. They are seen as
blessings with two phrases in each: the condition of the heart and the result
tying the Old and New Testament together. Hope Clinic is using the Beatitudes
as our theme for this year's Hope for the Future Gala in a special art exhibit
through the amazing work of world-renowned photographer Jeremy Cowart and the
courage of our clients, volunteers and staff willing to share their story. To
say I am excited by this year's approach is an understatement. I know God will
use this night in a special way beyond what I have ever seen before.
Of
course this meant I needed to refresh my memory of the Beatitudes since I did
not have them all memorized J. And here is my truth: while there are some things on
that list that seem like real blessings in the present (meek, merciful, pure in
heart and peacemakers), the other half is a list where the blessings don’t
seem to happen this side of heaven. But the older I get, the more I realize I
have experienced all of these ‘blessings’ and in fact, even under persecution,
God has this amazing ability to truly allow you to be blessed this side of
Heaven if you let Him. To receive or see the blessing in any circumstance takes
a real relinquishment of your trust over to the One who created Heaven and
Earth.
I
think what I like most about the theme of the Beatitudes is the reality that if
you live long enough as a believer you WILL in fact experience them all in your
life. It may be distressful to hear that (who wants to mourn, be poor,
persecuted or thirsty?), but it is also what connects us to each other. It
levels the playing field, so to speak. We all have the same chance to receive
and live through experiences that bring about blessings that go far beyond joy
or sadness. That means it is true for you, me, and every client who walks in
our doors. And most times, these moments of ‘blessings’ have a mix of both joy and sadness, not either or. The real
blessing is that God is present beyond emotion at a soul level. A place only He
can reach you and connect with you. And because of this I know I can walk
beside someone who has shared in that same type of blessing, making it possible
for me to connect to other people on a soul level. I believe this is the kind
of connection God desires for us to have with Him and our neighbor.
Do you
want to know more about this and understand how this ties together with our
work? Join us March 31st at Houston Station in Nashville. Click here for more information.
Renée Rizzo
President/CEO
No comments:
Post a Comment