Sonslink Network

Equilibrium is the state at which all competing influences are in balance. We might think that means a 50-50 proposition where each side has equal amount of energy exerted toward the other. In the Kingdom, being properly aligned with God requires an inverse proportion. Equilibrium with God demands 0% of us and 100% of Him.

In Matthew 5, equilibrium is described as "blessed." Jesus presents 8 "states of blessedness" in the introduction to His "Sermon on the Mount." Often called the "Beattitudes," these pronouncements of happiness define the progression and sequence for finding equilibrium with God.

We could also use words like balance and harmony because Jesus is showing us how to relate to the Father. The Hebrew concept of "shalom" can be employed to help us understand the equilibrium Jesus is offering. Shalom is more than just the cessation of hostility, but is the condition of being aligned with the universe, the absence of chaos, and peace with the world. Although these states of blessedness are largely experienced in the passive, that is they are something that is done to us, not by us, we still have to put ourselves in position to receive in order for the transformation process to be completed.

So the third declaration of Jesus is the blessed condition of being meek. It is the gentle and humble who will inherit the earth. Notice the spiritual and the natural are being mixed. The temporal and the eternal are being joined in those who have recognized their spiritual bankruptcy (the poor in spirit), have grieved their depraved condition and repented of it (those who mourn), and those who have not come to a place of complete and absolute trust in God. Meekness is not weakness. It is the state of being at peace within yourself because of a lack of confidence in self and total dependence on the Father. It is real humility that recognizes where one's strength and support come from.

Meekness is power under proper restraint. When tempted by the devil in the wilderness, Jesus had the power to turn the stones into bread, but He refrained because it was not the will of God. He restrained Himself from calling 10,000 angels to catch him if he jumped off the Temple roof. He had the power, but his meekness, His total dependence and trust in His Father would not allow Him to exercise it. It was not the will of God to reveal Himself this way so He restrained Himself. This kind of gentleness that has complete trust in God is what makes one meek.

Having the power and knowing what to do with it are two different things. Jesus is telling us His secret. God opposes the proud, but He gives grace to the humble. If we humble ourselves and obey Him, He will raise us up at the proper time. There is no room for pride in the Kingdom of God. This is the fault that sacked Lucifer. His downfall was simple pride. He thought more highly of himself than he should. Blessed are the meek is the affirmation of humility as the key character trait of Kingdom citizenship.

Again, meekness is not something to strive for. It is the result of recognizing our spiritual destitution. We are hapless, helpless, and hopelessness without God. When we repent and mourn our depraved state, God can move in to transform us. The outcome is our complete dependence on Him and His complete care for us. We can walk  in humility when we know we are strengthened by an omnipotent God.

Meekness is not weakness. It is the lack of confidence in the flesh and self, and complete trust in God who strengthens us. It is humility personified and lived out daily in a lifestyle of obedience to the will of the Father. This could be considered the point where one is born from above. We relinquish all rights to ourselves, give our lives to Him, and allow Him to make us a new creation in Christ.

Moses was said to be one of the meekest men who ever lived, yet he delivered his people from the bondage of Egypt, sending 10 plagues to nearly destroy the nation. He parted the Red Sea and made water come from the rock. He received the Ten Commandments and judged the people. His face shone brilliant from having been in the very presence of God. Yet, it was his humility that distinguished him.

If the confession of being poor in spirit is "I Can't," and the cry of the mourner is "I Hurt," then the words of the meek are "I Trust!" Notice the progression and the sequence of these states of blessedness. First, we must recognize our fallen state. He do not have the capacity to change ourselves and boy do we need changing! Second, we must repent and grieve for our depravity. We need to emote the pain that sin has caused us and the suffering it has inflicted on others because of us. This is not a difficult task if left to the Holy Spirit. Like a skilled physician, He will remove the disease and begin the healing simultaneously. He is The Comforter after all. Once we have acknowledged our sin and repented of it, then God can transform us, forgiving us of our sins and initiating the process that will lead us to maturity in Him. The result, if the act of God has been successful in our lives, is a humility that is authentically based on our total dependence on Him. He has so shaken our world that He is the only one we will put our trust in.

Have you declared, "I Can't?" Have you admitted you hurt? Can you announce "I Trust?" If you can then you are well on you way to discovering for yourself equilibrium with God. It demands 100% of God and 0% of you. Allow God to pour you out and empty you of yourself so that He can fill you up with Him.

One last thought: "The Meek shall inherit the earth." God is not finished with you or His creation. This may be a promise of destiny in this life, but it surely is a promise of responsibility when Jesus returns and He brings with Him a new heaven and a new earth. Either way, the humble will control the real estate and the wealth of the wicked with finance the Kingdom of heaven on earth. In Whom is your trust? Blessed are the meek.

Tim