Sandstreams Safe Haven

Matthew 5:10-12 Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

And then the warm fuzzy picture of having “beautiful feet” for bringing peace and glad tidings of good things to my fellow man brings me to the fierce reality of being persecuted. I tend to want to gloss over this one because I am one who does not like pain of any sort including not only physical but emotional pain such as rejection from another person.

But who am I to not face a bit of hardship in my life considering what Jesus did for me? Would I avoid bringing peace to someone just because I was afraid of being rejected? How could I be so selfish as to keep these “glad tidings” to myself? That attitude would take me right back to being poor in spirit and mourning. I can’t go back there again. I don’t think it’s possible. So I tread forward, grasping onto the promise that being persecuted for Jesus sake will make the kingdom of heaven mine. And the blessing is not just for the future but for right now. I can enjoy this blessing right now by having a joyful heart which carries an eternal weight of glory. Besides, this “suffering” is not for a creed or my conscience sake, but for one I love, Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:17 puts it all into perspective: For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

We really need to go back to verse 16 and see what led us into this verse: For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

Now jump to verse 18 for even more encouragement: While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Study:
In Acts 5:40-42 we see apostles departing from the council after having been persecuted – - rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. Did they cease to teach and preach Jesus Christ?

Further study on being blessed from persecution:
Mark 10:30
Luke 6:22-23
John 15:20-21

Apply:
Review the blessings from Matthew 5:2-12 considering them a comprehensive portrait of the Christian. Take to heart the fact that Jesus considers Christians to be different from the world and blesses those whom the world pities and calls rejects.

Pray:
Luke 6:23 Rejoice ye in that day and leap for joy for behold your reward is great in heaven

© 2011 Debora P. Gilley