Wednesday, July 10 - Scripture Meditation
Matthew 5:11-12
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
"... for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." I think this was meant to encourage us Jesus, but it really frightens us -- I remember what happened to some of those prophets. Also, the image of a prophet is something that needs some rehabilitation nowadays.
ReplyDeleteEither way, I struggle with this blessing. Lord, help me to trust this as a blessing.
When I was younger, the idea of suffering in this life for a "great reward" in heaven was much more prominent and formative in my faith. "He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose" (Elliott) summarizes this mindset. Strangely, as I get older (and in many ways much more aware of my mortality), I find myself clinging more to this world and looking less forward to the what lies ahead. Lord, restore unto the joy of my salvation and the zeal of my first love.
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