The Poor in Spirit

A few weeks ago, a friend called.  “Why do I feel so crushed by everything that’s going on in my life”,  she said.  Clearly, the weight of her circumstances was pressing heavily on her chest as she faced one trial after another.  

“I feel so helpless and needy!”, she confessed.

Though we don’t always know why everything happens as it does, I do know that the trials we face are often great eye-openers for our insufficiencies.  

Something happens when we become very aware of our helpless condition.  The Bible calls it being “poor in spirit”.  

I shared with her my story, and how the trials I faced were what brought me awareness of my desperate need of him.  It’s what pushed me to pursue something deeper and encounter the presence of a very real God while abiding in his word.  

I love the story of Ruth in the OT.  Her story illustrates a beautiful picture of a very compassionate God who reaches out to the poor in spirit soul.  

Ruth found herself crushed by a long series of unpleasant events.  She decides to take a journey to Bethlehem with her widowed mother-in-law, Naomi. 

One day Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go out into the harvest fields to pick up the stalks of grain… (Ruth 2:2 NLT)

 Poor and needy, she resorts to gleaning wheat in the fields of the people of Israel.  

Often when we find ourselves poor in spirit, we resort to searching for nourishment where all the family of God find nourishment, his word.  

While Ruth was gathering food in the fields, the owner of those fields took notice of her…

Then Boaz asked his foreman, “Who is that young woman over there? 

…she has been hard at work…

(vs.5-7)

God will definitely notice you when you diligently begin your search for answers in his word.  

Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here…(vs. 8 KJV)

…And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink…(vs. 9)

Just as Boaz initiates the conversation with Ruth, God approaches us out of the word.   He begins to speak into our poor spirit.  He urges you not to look for your answers elsewhere.  Abide in my word!  I will nourish your hungry and thirsty soul.

Friend, if you presently find yourself crushed by the circumstances you're in, don’t lose hope.  There is a very real God who wants to reach out to you out of his word. He wants to give your soul the comfort and nourishment it needs.  Try not to look for answers elsewhere.  He will definitely take note of you.  

"Man approaches God most nearly when he is in one sense least like God. For what can be more unlike than fullness and need,..." - C.S. Lewis

“It is important that we get still to wait on God. And it is best that we get alone, preferably with our Bible outspread before us. Then if we will we may draw near to God and begin to hear Him speak to us in our hearts.”  -A.W. Tozer 

Supporting Text

God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.  ( Matt. 5:3)