The next three meditations based on Matthew 5:1-12 highlight the nine “blesseds” we know as the Beatitudes. The Greek word translated blessed is “Makarios” and means “supremely blest” The Amplified Bible endeavoring to give us better understanding uses numerous words to describe it which include, happy, blithesome, joyous, enviably fortunate, and others. In these verses Jesus gives us nine keys to unlocking and entering into this blissful state of blessings. First we must be poor in spirit, recognizing we have no merits on our own, but in sin we are “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” Revelation 3:17 NKJV, and only by His merits can we enter in. The second key brings us to a state of mourning; we must be sorrowful for our sin leading us to genuine repentance. And the third key is meekness, which should never be confused with weakness; the Greek word used here tells us we need to be mild and implies humility, actually the Amplified Bible includes patient, and long-suffering. Remember Moses is described as being very meek in Numbers 12:3, but oh, what a powerful man of God he was!
Happiness
-By Rose Hill
From the mountain Jesus began to teach,
For those who for happiness try to reach.
Sit down with His disciples, who would tune an ear,
Happiness comes to those who will hear.
He tells us how to make a start,
It is come before Him with a humble heart.
For those who are humble are surely blessed,
With the kingdom of heaven and happiness.
Happy are you if you do mourn,
And through your life you bear a thorn.
Comfort will not come with fame,
But it’s for those who suffer for His name.
Happy are you if you are meek,
And to be like Jesus you really seek.
For then you can receive a brand new birth,
And you will inherit all the earth.
Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson Co. used by permission.