What we should BE

Standing on the Mount of Beatitudes with Sea of Galilee in background. 

"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 

"Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

-Matthew 5, Sermon on the Mount

When we visited the Mount of Beatitudes, my professor asked each of us to choose a beatitude that seemed particularly potent to us at this time. I was personally affected by Christ's invitation to hunger and thirst after righteousness. I have reflected on how I can get to the point where I am consistently hungering and thirsting for more scripture study, more personal prayer, more...everything. 

How do we develop a sincere desire to grow in the gospel and let it change us? How do we open our hearts to the "filling" we have been promised? 

By the way, the Mount of Beatitudes is beautiful in the spring time. The weather is comfortable, and beautiful poppies blanket green hills with the blue Sea of Galilee at the center of the beauty. 

Have you been saved?

Witnessing baptisms in the Jordan River at Galilee

"We all fail at living the full celestial level. That’s why we need a Savior. The Lord says, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” (Matt. 5:6.) We frequently misinterpret that verse. We think it means “Blessed are the righteous.” It does not. When are you hungry? When are you thirsty? When you don’t have the object of your desire. It is those who don’t have the righteousness that God has—but who hunger and thirst after it—who are blessed, for if that is the desire of their hearts, the Lord will help them achieve it [...] He still requires our best effort. We must keep trying. But the good news is that having done all we can, it is enough. We may not be personally perfect yet, but because of our covenant with the Savior, we can rely on his perfection, and his perfection will get us through."

--Stephen E. Robinson, Believing Christ



The briefest, yet fullest of nutshells

On the shore of the Sea of Galilee with Mount Arad in the distance.



Let us, then, labor for an inward stillness,--
An inward stillness and an inward healing;

That perfect silence where the lips and heart

Are still, and we no longer entertain

Our own imperfect thoughts and vain opinions,

But God alone speaks in us, and we wait

In singleness of heart, that we may know

His will, and in the silence of our spirits,

That we may do His will, and do that only.

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

More on Galilee coming very soon...

I will make you fishers of men....

In Galilee for the next 11 days

...see you soon :-)