Get Comforted
Matthew 5:3-4 (NIV)
‘He (Jesus) said: Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.’
Passivity has a bad rap. And calling someone 'passive' typically isn't a compliment. When it comes to cooking dinner for my housemates, I’m usually either passive-aggressive (‘Oh I don't mind cooking AGAIN, you seem quite busy scrolling through instagram). Or I am just straight up passive (‘Ugh who cares? UberEats can cook tonight’).
Grammar nerds amongst us know the difference between these two verbal voices: 'I hit the ball' - Active, and 'The ball was hit' - Passive. Or in my case at school PE: 'Tim was hit by the ball.' I didn’t do anything, I just stood there passively and was involuntarily hit by the ball. Passivity can seem like an awkward and irresponsible thing but…
There are times when passivity is beautiful, holy and exactly the rest our tired souls need. Enter the ‘Divine Passive’ into our chaotic lives. The Divine Passive is a theological term for greek verbs in the passive voice where the action is done by God and not by us. Done through the gracious and undeserved work of the Holy Spirit. We don't manufacture or strive, rather we sit back, relax and enjoy his grace. We are invited to passively participate in the work of the Holy Spirit in us. The Beatitudes are full of passive verbs where people who are feeling small are graciously given massive blessings.
So today are you feeling poor in spirit? At the end of your tether, you cannot see the path before you? The bills, both literal and metaphorical, are adding up; so too is the anxiety and heartbreak. Well, Jesus has good news for you! He counts you as blessed. Why? Because those with nothing will be given the kingdom of heaven and, for a citizen of heaven, its resources are endless. If you’re mourning, then you don’t need to try and cheer up, you just need to let Jesus love you back to life. You don’t need to hunt for the comfort - it will be given to you by the Holy Spirit. Just ask.
Prayer – Jesus thank you for your kindness. I bring these ways before you where I am feeling poor and mourning. Come by your Holy Spirit and comfort me. I’m going to let you love me.
(Take a moment to receive this now, allowing him to speak.)