Daily Devotional

Sunday, August 1, 2010

“What are the beatitudes, and why are they important?”

Jesus spoke of eight beatitudes, or blessings, when he delivered the Sermon on the Mount as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew 5:3-12. The beatitudes were meant to be shocking to the audience as they were a direct inversion of the culture’s standard values.

The eight beatitudes are as follows:

1.            Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

2.            Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

3.            Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

4.            Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

5.            Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

6.            Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

7.            Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

8.            Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Throughout the next month we will explore the beatitudes, what they mean, how they apply to our daily lives, and why they are important.

Prayer:

Lord, I thank you for your Holy word, and for revealing yourself to us through it. I pray that you would give me a better understanding of the beatitudes, and that you would give my heart a desire to honor you through them.