Poor

A dozen posts have been written in my head. Oh for time to get them on paper! But finals are done. Christmas choir program is done (we still have more to do:). Our household has been too busy to do any of our Christmas traditions. Only one thing we have done is the music, and hey, it's one of my favorite parts of the season. We love sharing it, practicing it, listening to it.  The new CD from the Nebbletts plays again and again. We love it! Check it out: I Cannot Tell

There nothing to say for a transition, but I'll move on:) 

I'm reading my Bible. Taking the book of Luke at an extremely slow pace. I write, and I learn, and my heart loves my Savior more. 

"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God."

Way to make me wish I was poor!  I've always been like 'well, guess this wasn't really written for me'.  In literal life, I've never gone hungry for too long, never been cold for too long, never had nothing...or at least I've thought. The phrase 'poor in spirit'  used in Mathew has never been tangible for me either.

That all changed with this thought:

Poverty or being poor is not necessarily having nothing, but recognizing that everything you have is nothing. 

What are our earthly possessions in comparison to the things God has prepared for us?...And we hold onto them? For what? 

I get a glimpse of why God promises the kingdom of God to those who are poor: they want it. 

If we think ourselves rich and increased with goods, guess what, we don't need for more... all the while He pleads, "'Buy of me.' What I offer is far better than the filthy rags you think are so amazing."

Then it clicks. I realize what He's really calling for. It's a call to His church...and it's a call to me:

"You say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear."

Recognize, everything you have is worth nothing. Your righteousness. Your goodness. It's nothing. You are poor. And when you get that, you'll buy. I will give you more than you can imagine: A character molded by my hands, a garment of righteousness that's truly pure. 

But understand.

Vanessa, you won't get this by trying really hard. You must come and buy it from me. 

When we are willing to see ourselves in our true state, the promise is ours. The kingdom of heaven is ours.