🌿 Kingdom Living Devotional — Day 2

Day 2

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

— Matthew 5:3, NASB1995

💧Empty to Enter

This is where the Kingdom begins—not with strength, success, or spiritual pride—but with poverty of spirit. Jesus’ first words in His sermon speak not to the self-sufficient, but to the soul who knows she has nothing apart from Him.

To be poor in spirit is to come before God emptied of self—aware of your sin, your deep need, your desperate dependence. It’s the opposite of self-righteousness. It’s the posture of the tax collector who beat his chest and said, “God, be merciful to me, the sinner!” (Luke 18:13).

We cannot enter the Kingdom clutching our goodness. We must come as beggars—hands open, heart bowed, trusting the riches of His mercy.

🕯 Ante-Nicene Example

The early church women understood this well. They weren’t trying to build platforms or prove their worth—they humbled themselves before God and each other. Many gave up wealth, status, and even their lives, like Perpetua, a noblewoman in Carthage, who surrendered everything to follow Christ with a heart poor in spirit and rich in faith. Her surrender became her testimony.

💭 Reflect

• Do I recognize my daily dependence on the Lord, or do I still rely on my own strength?
• Am I quick to acknowledge my sin before God—or do I resist being seen as “needy”?

🙏 Prayer

Jesus, I have nothing to offer but my need. Teach me what it means to be poor in spirit. Empty me of pride and self-reliance, and fill me with Your grace. For Yours is the Kingdom I long to belong to.