Blessed are the poor in Spirit...
Submitted by Tyler Schwartz on Sun, 05/24/2009 - 23:03
I've been reading through Matthew, and to be honest, the beattitudes do not really describe my life. I have especially been convicted that I have not been "poor in Spirit" to the degree I should be. I have so much pride that keeps me from admitting regularly my spiritual bankruptcy before God - when I go to Him I really have nothing to bring to the alter, except a broken & contrite heart (which is ironic...that the only thing I have to bring is that I don't have anything to bring...). I'm going to do a somewhat extended study of the Sermon on the Mount, trailing my local pastor's weekly sermons through Matthew so I can soak in the truths a little more slowly than just reading through them.
My initial thoughts on being "poor in Spirit": At times I recognize that I am spiritually bankrupt and that I come to God with nothing that elevates me above the what I am: a frail sinner. I wish that this would be my attitude more often! A few years ago an older student who was discipling me kept reminding me of this: you dont know anything. Sure, I may have an adept understanding of theology - I may seem intelligent & pious to others - but I must see that i really dont know anything. Looking back I see such wisdom in that - I come to God with nothing, so I come to Him because I desparately need Him. Because the beautitudes begin and end with "for theirs is the kingdom of heaven", we can conclude that everything between is of that theme. I have often been convicted by a later beattitude "blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God". If I desire to see God and to behold His kingdom, I must be pure in heart, which can only come through being poor in spirit. DA Carson wrote (I'm reading through his exposition of Matthew 5-10): "[poverty of spirit" is the conscious confession of unworth before God. As such, it is the deepest form of repentance." I very much long for this attitude of poverty before God consistently. Its been huge to daily be in His word, which in some ways is a way to say to God: "I want to start and fill my day with your Word, because its the only thing that can sustain me". Im also trying to read the Bible "on my own" i.e. without foot notes or commentary or sermons to be the primary source of figuring out what Scripture is teaching. I very much appreciate John Piper, DA Carson, RC Sproul, and others, but I depend on their interpretation. It is humbling to read a text and say "I honestly dont know what this means". And instead of first looking at a commentary or browsing desiringGod, go before God first [and not Piper] and ask Him what He means and has to communicate to me through it.
Through Psalm 34:18, I see that the Lord is near and saves the poor in Spirit. Oh Lord, I desire you to be near to me - help me come to you empty-handed, broken, and pure in heart. Psalm 51:17 teaches me that God accepts and does not despise the "sacrifice" of a broken spirit not because we have something valuable to offer & sacrifice to Him, but it is acceptable because the poor in Spirit recognize that they have nothing to offer Him - their "sacrifice" offering is the very recognition that they dont have anything to offer. Oh Lord how liberating this is! You dont require, nor desire, that I come to you with gifts and worth, which is good because I have nothing to give! Help me to recognize this daily. In Isaiah 57:15 I see that God dwells no only in heaven, but with the poor in Spirit (wow!), and will revive the broken, needy heart of such poor in Spirit. Lord that is amazing that you not only dwell in the temples of Heaven but also choose to dwell in the temples of the hearts of man. But Lord you will not remain in a temple where other things receive more worth & praise than You - your Glory will not be in this way defiled. In your holiness, you will only dwell in the temple of the hearts of man who put you first, and allow you to fill every aspect of them. Lord may the temple of my heart be as such that you would dwell there. I know that because I have the Holy Spirit dwelling in me that you already dwell in my heart in some sense, but from these passages it seems clear that you dwell in a special way in the hearts of the poor in Spirit and the pure in heart. And in Isaiah 66:2 I see that of all the things God made, He chooses to focus on & bless those of mankind who are poor in Spirit - humble & contrite before Him. Lord I want your constant blessing, but I know that you receive no glory (rather I defile your glory) when I use your blessing to metaphorically pay for prostitutes - so therefore for the sake of your name and Glory you will not bless those who are not poor in Spirit. Lord help me to live this and not just understand it...
Lord, you are the only hope I have for help & deliverance (Psalm 40:17) . Sure, resources and people youve put in my life can be used by You, but ultimately it is You who helps & delivers me. Lord I so desire freedom - help me to desire it for the right reasons: so that I may behold more of you and Glorify you by being satisfied by you above all else. Lord, you hear my desparate and needy cries (Psalm 69:33) - I am enslaved to so many addictions, and have no hope - you alone can deliver me! I am your child, and you do not desire me to be in bondage to idols - but I must come to you as the empty & broken sinner that I am before you will receive any glory through my life. Lord, thank you for your pity (Psalm 72:13) - from any other I would be offended by the condescending tone, but in all honesty you are superior and I need your pity - without your mercy I would die. And Lord, thank you that you raise up the needy out of affliction (Psalm 107:41): that is me: I have given myself over to idols and are now enslaved to them - deliver me from their midst. Not only in my life, but also deliver my family and friends from the idols in their lives.
My initial thoughts on being "poor in Spirit": At times I recognize that I am spiritually bankrupt and that I come to God with nothing that elevates me above the what I am: a frail sinner. I wish that this would be my attitude more often! A few years ago an older student who was discipling me kept reminding me of this: you dont know anything. Sure, I may have an adept understanding of theology - I may seem intelligent & pious to others - but I must see that i really dont know anything. Looking back I see such wisdom in that - I come to God with nothing, so I come to Him because I desparately need Him. Because the beautitudes begin and end with "for theirs is the kingdom of heaven", we can conclude that everything between is of that theme. I have often been convicted by a later beattitude "blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God". If I desire to see God and to behold His kingdom, I must be pure in heart, which can only come through being poor in spirit. DA Carson wrote (I'm reading through his exposition of Matthew 5-10): "[poverty of spirit" is the conscious confession of unworth before God. As such, it is the deepest form of repentance." I very much long for this attitude of poverty before God consistently. Its been huge to daily be in His word, which in some ways is a way to say to God: "I want to start and fill my day with your Word, because its the only thing that can sustain me". Im also trying to read the Bible "on my own" i.e. without foot notes or commentary or sermons to be the primary source of figuring out what Scripture is teaching. I very much appreciate John Piper, DA Carson, RC Sproul, and others, but I depend on their interpretation. It is humbling to read a text and say "I honestly dont know what this means". And instead of first looking at a commentary or browsing desiringGod, go before God first [and not Piper] and ask Him what He means and has to communicate to me through it.
Through Psalm 34:18, I see that the Lord is near and saves the poor in Spirit. Oh Lord, I desire you to be near to me - help me come to you empty-handed, broken, and pure in heart. Psalm 51:17 teaches me that God accepts and does not despise the "sacrifice" of a broken spirit not because we have something valuable to offer & sacrifice to Him, but it is acceptable because the poor in Spirit recognize that they have nothing to offer Him - their "sacrifice" offering is the very recognition that they dont have anything to offer. Oh Lord how liberating this is! You dont require, nor desire, that I come to you with gifts and worth, which is good because I have nothing to give! Help me to recognize this daily. In Isaiah 57:15 I see that God dwells no only in heaven, but with the poor in Spirit (wow!), and will revive the broken, needy heart of such poor in Spirit. Lord that is amazing that you not only dwell in the temples of Heaven but also choose to dwell in the temples of the hearts of man. But Lord you will not remain in a temple where other things receive more worth & praise than You - your Glory will not be in this way defiled. In your holiness, you will only dwell in the temple of the hearts of man who put you first, and allow you to fill every aspect of them. Lord may the temple of my heart be as such that you would dwell there. I know that because I have the Holy Spirit dwelling in me that you already dwell in my heart in some sense, but from these passages it seems clear that you dwell in a special way in the hearts of the poor in Spirit and the pure in heart. And in Isaiah 66:2 I see that of all the things God made, He chooses to focus on & bless those of mankind who are poor in Spirit - humble & contrite before Him. Lord I want your constant blessing, but I know that you receive no glory (rather I defile your glory) when I use your blessing to metaphorically pay for prostitutes - so therefore for the sake of your name and Glory you will not bless those who are not poor in Spirit. Lord help me to live this and not just understand it...
Lord, you are the only hope I have for help & deliverance (Psalm 40:17) . Sure, resources and people youve put in my life can be used by You, but ultimately it is You who helps & delivers me. Lord I so desire freedom - help me to desire it for the right reasons: so that I may behold more of you and Glorify you by being satisfied by you above all else. Lord, you hear my desparate and needy cries (Psalm 69:33) - I am enslaved to so many addictions, and have no hope - you alone can deliver me! I am your child, and you do not desire me to be in bondage to idols - but I must come to you as the empty & broken sinner that I am before you will receive any glory through my life. Lord, thank you for your pity (Psalm 72:13) - from any other I would be offended by the condescending tone, but in all honesty you are superior and I need your pity - without your mercy I would die. And Lord, thank you that you raise up the needy out of affliction (Psalm 107:41): that is me: I have given myself over to idols and are now enslaved to them - deliver me from their midst. Not only in my life, but also deliver my family and friends from the idols in their lives.
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