The deeply spiritual man is first deeply aware of his own need and therefore is deeply humble. In a world that abhors neediness and educates, legislates, and prospers its’ people to be “independent” and less and less a burden on others, the spiritual man realizes that his weakness and need is insurmountable on his own, and requires divine help.

This is where the true seeker is born - an encounter with his own need drives him to seek and search for the One who can fill his need, quench his thirst, and satisfy his deepest longings. Sometimes after turning to the right and left, after every vain thing this world has to offer, the man turns to find he is in fact wretched, miserable, poor, and naked without the divine. He must find the divine!

It is a rare treasure to find this on the earth, and I pray less so in the church, one who understands that he is in fact “poor in spirit”. Jesus, the divine answer to the enigma of our need, blesses those with ultimate strength - “the Kingdom of Heaven”. (Matt 5:3)

While at a worship service back home in Katy recently, I had the strange feeling during a worship song that I was being watched. I was closing my eyes, attempting to really connect with God, and at that moment feeling very weak and in need of the Lord’s touch.

I opened my eyes to see if anyone was looking at me, finding no one, but realizing that many around me were merely “basking” in the worship service, sitting down comfortably enjoying the melody of the song, arm around their loved one, quietly whispering to those around them and chuckling. Not really engaging with God - but being here was enough right?

I looked around again, and I saw at least two ladies near me with medication half-way sticking out of their purses. Again, I was struck by our real weakness. But who, in that moment, was casting themselves before the answer to their need, and who was merely surpressing it with attending a “religous activity”? Surely medication isn’t wrong, but is it the first solution we turn to?

I closed my eyes again, realizing again a measure of my own deep neediness. And what a gift it was - for only then did I turn my gaze toward the One with all power, strength, wisdom, and true, pure, unadulterated love for me! Oh, worship just naturally flowed. Perhaps someone was actually looking over at me thinking - “Wow, that guy is really spiritual. Look how into it he is, really singing with his hands out like that - truly a solid Christian!”

Solid? More like broken. Really spiritual? Sure, if really spiritual is realizing my low place before Him alongside His great dream to fulfill me with Him. True strength isn’t strength, for our so called strength keeps us from true strength - weakness. True weakness is strength, and the poor in spirit will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven forever and ever.

It is wisdom to trust in God. It is not folly. It is ultimate reality. God is the greatest reality that this world has, will, or could ever know. It is the blinding of that true reality that is Satan’s greatest weapon and desire.

It is wisdom to trust in God, not only because of the benefits of today, although that is justification enough, but it is wisdom to trust in God because of the end. In a world that defines wisdom based upon what works, what stands, and what matters in the temporary now, we must call aloud about the end! The Church must help navigate the world into the purest wisdom there is - especially as the end comes nearer and nearer.

Wisdom is knowing the end from the beginning. If the world knew the end now, they would live differently. The world lives by what “seems right” now, or what will be best according to what they can foresee. However, if they knew the One who has seen the end from the beginning, it would be utter foolishness not to follow His lead.

Unfortunately, the world will not go this way unless the Church does it first. We as the Church must continually resist the temptation to define our reality based on our point of view, even as Christians. Our neglect to receive and internalize God’s Word about the end paralyzes us to our own limited view. “We see dimly…” - but the Lord knows fully. This is why we require the “spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Him”. (Ephesians 1:16-17) This is not merely knowing Him, but knowing what He knows. And He knows the end from the beginning! He is Wisdom!

Hindsight is always 20/20. Jesus has the luxury of 20/20 viewpoint on all sides and dimensions of history. And that same Jesus is in love with us, His beloved church, wanting to “catch us up” into His eternal viewpoint and give us wisdom on how to live today.

Oh, intimacy with God! Not merely the requirement before moving onward and outward, but the necessary mountaintop that we might continually live in the wisdom of the eternal perspective of Jesus. Lord, catch us up into true reality!