Stress Test Devotional May 4
May 04, 2024
DAY 7
God is committed to blessing us in our brokenness so we can become blessings to others. The Beatitudes then, are not primarily exhortations to live up to certain aspirational standards. Nor are they congratulatory pats on the head for those who’ve achieved certain levels of sanctity. They are dynamic pronouncements that convey a blessing - they give what they demand. They make sense only if God’s kingdom is arriving and only to those who have accepted his rule. They are “heavenly blessings” that can be experienced right now for those who trust that God is transforming this world into a place of justice, beauty and delight - and preparing us to be ready to live in it.
How are Luke’s Beatitudes different from Matthews?
Do you think of heaven as “another place” or the reign of God right here?
Pray the Lord’s Prayer, emphasizing “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
FAMILY TIME—
What do your family members think heaven is like?
