Blessed are . . . —Matthew 5:3-11

From My Utmost for His Highest July 25th

"When we first read the statements of Jesus, they seem wonderfully simple and unstartling, and they sink unnoticed into our subconscious minds. For instance, the Beatitudes initially seem to be merely soothing and beautiful precepts for overly spiritual and seemingly useless people, but of very little practical use in the rigid, fast-paced workdays of the world in which we live. We soon find, however, that the Beatitudes contain the “dynamite” of the Holy Spirit. And they “explode” when the circumstances of our lives cause them to do so. When the Holy Spirit brings to our remembrance one of the Beatitudes, we say, “What a startling statement that is!” Then we must decide whether or not we will accept the tremendous spiritual upheaval that will be produced in our circumstances if we obey His words. That is the way the Spirit of God works. We do not need to be born again to apply the Sermon on the Mount literally. The literal interpretation of the Sermon on the Mount is as easy as child’s play. But the interpretation by the Spirit of God as He applies our Lord’s statements to our circumstances is the strict and difficult work of a saint.

The teachings of Jesus are all out of proportion when compared to our natural way of looking at things, and they come to us initially with astonishing discomfort. We gradually have to conform our walk and conversation to the precepts of Jesus Christ as the Holy Spirit applies them to our circumstances. The Sermon on the Mount is not a set of rules and regulations— it is a picture of the life we will live when the Holy Spirit is having His unhindered way with us."

Are You "Trying" Hard Enough or Too Hard for your Salvation? Two Perspectives

One of my favorite people in the world is Amy Grant. I have never met her, but I would love to. I have never questioned the message of any of her music, and it has been meaningful and beneficial to me throughout my life. Amy Grant is releasing her first new album in ten years, and I am very excited to gain once again from her wisdom.

Today I listened closely to the lyrics in her new song, "Don't Try So Hard," and I am curious how the Christian community will respond. I know a lot of individuals who strive and stress themselves out in the name of pursuing sainthood. This is where the age old idea of "religious/pharisaical guilt" comes in, trying to appease a demanding, never-satisfied God and continually clear your soul of sin's stains.

Other Christians will tell, much as Amy Grant does in this song, such individuals to simply relax, and that their sins are forgiven by God's past sacrifice for all sins for all time, so "don't try so hard" because God's mercy and grace wash over us and we should just rest and trust in God's mercy.

I think that an overly rigorous approach to sin and proving yourself "just" by your own repentance, confession, and behavior modification is to be avoided, because it reinforces a sense of self-righteousness and working/earning one's spotless state before God. These people should listen to the message of Amy Grant's newest song.

On the other hand, the presumptuous people who forget that Jesus absolutely did try so hard for us to the point of torture and crucifixion, should probably ignore the message of this song and instead read the book of James to kick them into action rather than sitting back and resting on the sacrifice and pain and suffering that Jesus willingly endured on our behalf.

Certainly, an interesting tension exists, because Christ did successfully "try so hard" on our behalf so that we do not have to; in fact we cannot try hard enough. So "trying hard" is a futile and dangerous slippery slope to earning our own salvation. However, we must also imitate our Lord and our God, Jesus Christ, by working hard to show God's mercy and love to others, to root out sin in our own lives, and to grow in the virtues listed in the Beatitudes.

What side are you most inclined to take in hearing this song? I am inclined to support the message of the song, although I know others who will fight tooth and nail that we need to "try harder," but I think that is because they have invested much of their life and time in (trying to) approve themselves in God's eyes, although His greatest pleasure comes from us calling him 'Abba' and placing our hearts in his hand.

Emptying and Filling

"Even the weakest Christian can experience the power of Christ, the Son of God, when he is willing to "let go." But any effort to "hang on" to the least bit of our own power will only diminish the life of Jesus in us. We have to keep letting go, and slowly but surely, the great full life of God will invade us, penetrating every part. Then Jesus will have complete and effective dominion in us, and people will take notice that we have been with Him."
- Oswald Chambers

Mary of Bethany

"...While he was in Bethany,^(F) reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head..."^(G)

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow

Click on image to go to the Amy Winehouse Version of the Song, my fave!

 Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow

Tonight you're mine completely
You give you love so sweetly
Tonight the light of love is in your eyes
But will you love me tomorrow?

Is this a lasting treasure
Or just a moment's pleasure?
Can I believe the magic of your sighs?
Will you still love me tomorrow?

Tonight with words unspoken
You say that I'm the only one
But will my heart be broken
When the night meets the morning sun?

I'd like to know that your love
Is love I can be sure of
So tell me now, and I won't ask again
Will you still love me tomorrow?

(INSTRUMENTAL)

So tell me now, and I won't ask again
Will you still love me tomorrow?
Will you still love me tomorrow?
Will you still love me tomorrow?

I could not disagree more with the underlying philosophy of this beautiful song (which I really enjoy). It stands in stark contrast with the following:

SHAKESPEARE SONNET 116

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
   If this be error and upon me proved,
   I never writ, nor no man ever loved.