TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5
Read: Matthew 5:5
Listen: Matthew 5
TODAY’S MESSAGE
The crowd sitting on the hillside listening to Jesus understands meekness. They live under forced surrender to the Roman empire. Religious leaders lord their power and position over them. They know what meekness looks like—and it doesn’t feel like a blessing. It feels like being overlooked, left out and unimportant. Imagine their shock when Jesus calls the meek blessed. He’s not describing weakness, but rather strength surrendered to God. It’s telling God, “You have the final say. You get to call the shots in my life.”
Jesus doesn’t just talk about meekness—he models it. Jesus, God-in-flesh, holds all power and strength. He spoke the universe into existence. No one is stronger than him. Yet Jesus submits his strength to the Father and willingly surrenders to suffering, torture and execution on our behalf. In a magnificent display of meekness, Jesus cries out to the Father on the night before his death, “Father if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).
Our culture scoffs at meekness and views it as a weakness. However, in Jesus’s backward blessing, meekness is strength surrendered to God for his glory and purposes. Meekness brings blessing when we allow God to have the final say in our lives. We find meaning and purpose for this life and the life to come. We submit to his authority as we spend time reading his Word each day. We surrender our strength to him as we allow other mature Jesus-followers to speak into our lives and help us follow him. In this surrender, we find true strength and blessing.
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
Commit to surrendering your strength to God’s authority by submitting to his Word and his people. Follow our New Testament daily Bible reading plan (linked below). Or join a small group and allow them to speak his truth into your lives.
NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN
Join us this year as we read through the New Testament.
Today’s reading is 1 Corinthians 4.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
