Just gravy

The 5/3 verse for today is a direct quote from Jesus as He taught the infamous Sermon on the Mount.  In Matthew 5:3 Jesus says, "'God blesses those who realize their need for him,' for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them." (NLT)

I know just a tad about the principles of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.  The first several scriptures in Matthew, Chapter 5, are the basis for the eight steps to recovery from any hurt, habit or hang-up in the Christian recovery program, Celebrate Recovery.  I am going to take advantage of what I have learned over the past few years my husband has led the Celebrate Recovery program at our church, and utilize these next few days to comment on those principles.  After all, who's better than Jesus to give us direct wisdom and healing? 

We often hear people quote a saying, "God helps those who help themselves."  That misguided statement originally came from Benjamin Franklin, a deist, who believed a superior being was not concerned about things, or people, on earth.  To me that is an example of how satan takes something and uses it to twist people's perception of who God is and how much He cares for us.  Our God knitted each of us in our mother's womb and knew us even before we were born.  There is proof throughout the bible, history and creation that He really cares about those He created.

Jesus' words from the Sermon on the Mount are the wisdom we need to pull us out of any pit and help us to focus on the Big God who created us; not the big problem that is consuming us.  Proverbs 28:26 says, "Trusting oneself is foolish, but those who walk in wisdom are safe."  The Message version of Matthew 5:3 says, "You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope.  With less of you, there is more of God and his rule."  The bible also says in 1 Peter 5:5 that God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

From everything I can ascertain from God's word, Benjamin Franklin got it wrong; lots of people get it wrong.  God got it right.  He's patiently loving us and loved us so much that He left us written instructions to help us get it right.  But sometimes we can't see what is right in front of us.  Our distractions and the lies we believe are all we can see.  Something tells me that when we stop making things all about us and start making things all about Him, we might just be on to something.  In our need for Him, we realise and receive true blessings.  If we humble ourselves enough, I think we will begin to realise that knowing Him is really the true blessing.  Everything else is just gravy.