The Be-Attitudes

THE INHERITANCE OF THE MEEK 

Life is continually challenging us with daily situations that provoke fretfulness – an ominous fog that sits constantly on the horizon and rolls in on atmospheric waves beyond our control. 

Jesus quotes David in Psalm 37, as the third Be-Attiude. The Psalm goes from “Fret not” a command, to conclude,  “… the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” (VV 1-11)

Is the command “Fret not” in Psalm 37 a mocking taunt?   It is surely included in the mind of Jesus when he quotes the verse.

(Photo taken in Frankfurt in September 2017 by the author.)

THE MEEK INHERIT, NOT ACHIEVE

The backdrop is David fretting, envying, nursing his annoyance until it is like a pebble in a shoe, constantly provoking anger, leading to rage and bitterness. That trajectory can be traced at one time or another in every human being. For some, it has shaped their character into a twisted, cynical self.

“Fret not” by itself is cruel. It instructs me to stop fretting over things like the fog, that I have no control over. The result is that I then start fretting about fretting, a perpetual accelerating motion. But that is precisely the point. The command is not to control the circumstances; it is to turn with delight  to Him.

The Psalm is not giving us a formula to follow, a to-do list, it is an inheritance we receive. The Psalm therefore traces what happens within as the fretful person communes with God.  

Recall that mourners have a Comforter. (https://wp.me/p22zu5-cD)  Psalm 37 takes us a step further and explores how to delight in relationship with that Comforter. The verbs are not suggestions, They are imperatives, commands or orders. Bear in mind that when God commands He also enables. His commands are backed up by His resources.

• Trust in the LORD. Take your eyes off the fretful circumstances and put your trust in Yahweh.The Hebrew is Yahwe, His first name, The name means, “I Am.” In essence it indicates  “I am ever present”. He revealed it to Moses to reassure  him that going on an impossible mission to a ruler with absolute power and demand the freedom of the Hebrew slaves, the backbone of the Egyptian economy, was a safe task. It is also the transition from a formal relationship to an intimate one, an invitation to relax with him as a trusted friend.
• Dwell in the land. The Hebrew (yāšab) means to settle or inhabit. In other words, distract your nagging thoughts by just doing what is needed next. Apply the agricultural metaphor: plough, sow, weed, and harvest your fields; build a cabin, dig a well. You are not a tourist, you are a settler. 
• Delight yourself in the LORD. This is the hinge on which the door of contentment swings! As two friends delight in one another, explore how to delight in God and then make it a practice. “Place your mind before the mirror of eternity! Place your soul in the brilliance of glory!” (Saint Clare of Assisi). Derek Kidner in his commentary on the Psalm, explains it is a “deliberate redirection of one’s emotions [such as] Paul and Silas in prison, singing as well as praying.
• Commit your way to Him. Roll your burden onto Him, do it deliberately and constantly. This proverb adds a dimension that is hinted at in the Psalm, the impact on your mind: “Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established.” (NKJV Proverbs 16:3).  For a comprehensive article on “How to” see Cathy Baker’s article: https://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/how-can-you-commit-your-ways-to-the-lord-today.html
• Rest in the LORD. As a weary person flops in a hammock, resting sore muscles and weary bones, let go of the weight that causes your fret. And as you lie there, completely relaxed, practice these commands as an ongoing dynamic. I John 3:19f  captures the exquisite experience beautifully: “By this (God is love) we shall come to know (perceive, recognize, and understand) that we are of the Truth, and can reassure (quiet, conciliate, and pacify) our hearts in His presence, Whenever our hearts in [^[a]tormenting] self-accusation make us feel guilty and condemn us. [For ^[b]we are in God’s hands.] For He is above and greater than our consciences (our hearts), and He knows (perceives and understands) everything [nothing is hidden from Him]. (Amplified Bible, Classic Version)

Inherit the Earth? What on earth can Jesus mean?

The answer to the riddle lies in the translation of David’s Hebrew word in the Psalm, eretz, and the Greek word ge (γῆ) that Jesus uses, in the be-atitude: “The meek shall inherit the earth” is ge (γῆ), which translates to land, earth, or country. The Hebrew word is more accurately rendered as “the land.” The meek inherit The Promised Land! The phrase is redolent with memories: the enslavement, miraculous deliverance, forty years of wilderness wanderings, the land flowing with milk and honey, finally settled! All that is celebrated over and over in the Old Testament. It is the  biblical metaphor of God’s saving work: deliverance from bondage, a journey through the wilderness, and arrival at the place God has promised. It is the story of salvation itself, and the foundation of the communion table.

All the prophecies, the history, and the poetry, point to a Person. He is the rightful heir of all things. In Him, the localized, national promise is transformed into the universal inheritance of the meek. The land promised to God’s people points beyond itself to the One , Christ, in whom every promise finds its fulfillment. Every covenantal pledge God made finds its “Yes” in Christ.

The Conclusion

For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, . . . is God’s ultimate “Yes”; he always does what he says. For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.  It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:19ff

Now we understand the secret of blissful contentment. The change in perspective from inward to outward, from self to Christ, is independent of the vicissitudes of life. 

All it requires to delight in God is your acceptance with resounding and heartfelt THANK YOU!

Next: Craving

Thus far: https://wp.me/p22zu5-ce