Beatitude 4: Filling Up with Obedience
Bible Readings
Take a few minutes to read the Bible verses listed and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in how this verse applies to you this week.
1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the side of a mountain and sat down. Jesus' disciples gathered around him, 2 and he taught them: 3 God blesses those people who depend only on him. They belong to the kingdom of heaven! 4 God blesses those people who grieve. They will find comfort! 5 God blesses those people who are humble. The earth will belong to them! 6 God blesses those people who want to obey him more than to eat or drink. They will be given what they want! 7 God blesses those people who are merciful. They will be treated with mercy! 8 God blesses those people whose hearts are pure. They will see him! 9 God blesses those people who make peace. They will be called his children! 10 God blesses those people who are treated badly for doing right. They belong to the kingdom of heaven. 11 God will bless you when people insult you, mistreat you, and tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. 12 Be happy and excited! You will have a great reward in heaven. People did these same things to the prophets who lived long ago.
Matthew 5:1-12
39 Jesus went out to the Mount of Olives, as he often did, and his disciples went with him. 40 When they got there, he told them, “Pray that you won't be tested.” 41 Jesus walked on a little way before he knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you will, please don't make me suffer by drinking from this cup. But do what you want, and not what I want.” 43 Then an angel from heaven came to help him. 44 Jesus was in great pain and prayed so sincerely that his sweat fell to the ground like drops of blood. 45 Jesus got up from praying and went over to his disciples. They were asleep and worn out from being so sad. 46 He said to them, “Why are you asleep? Wake up and pray that you won't be tested.”
Luke 22:39-46
Memory Verse
Matthew 5:6
6 God blesses those people who want to obey him more than to eat or drink. They will be given what they want!
Have you ever thought about what it means to do what's right and listen to God?
God can ask us to do things that might seem hard, like being patient or helping others. So, what does it mean to obey? It's knowing and loving God and doing things that make the world a better place. Just like waiting for a tasty pizza, obeying God takes a little time, but it's worth it because it leads to beautiful blessings!
Jesus always obeyed God the Father, even when it was tough. One night, he went to a garden with his friends, and Jesus knew he would be arrested and go to the cross for us that night. Can you imagine how scared he must have been? But Jesus prayed, "Father, if you will, please don't make me suffer by drinking from this cup. But do what you want, and not what I want" (Luke 22:42). Because Jesus knew that doing what God the Father asked would help so many people, including you and me, he obeyed.
Doing what’s right and being obedient to God can be hard sometimes, but when you are strong and brave, God promises that he will be there to help you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9). God has an exciting plan for you, and you can be eager to obey him! This week, listen when God asks you to face a challenging problem, like being a friend to someone lonely, standing up to someone being a bully, or stopping gossip from happening. When you hear him, be a bit more like Jesus and say, "Today, I'm going to do what God says," and see the blessings that come from that obedience.
Prayer
Dear God, please help me to obey and do what you ask. You only want what's best for me and everyone around me because you are a good Father. Thank you for all the ways you've blessed me! Amen.Related Resources
Carleá Jean
Carleá Jean is all about sharing cool stories that make learning about the Bible fun. When she's not spinning tales, you'll find her outdoors with her dog, Xena, enjoying some quality time under the sun.