Words to Read.
Moments to Enter.

³ Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

⁴ Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

⁵ Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

⁶ Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

⁷ Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

The crowds had been gathering around Jesus.

Word of his teaching and healing had spread through Galilee and beyond.

He saw the multitudes.

Then he went up into a mountain.

He sat down.

His disciples came to him.

And he began to teach.

The first words turned the world's expectations upside down.

The poor in spirit were blessed.

Those who mourn would be comforted.

The meek would inherit the earth.

Those who hungered and thirsted after righteousness would be filled.

The merciful would obtain mercy.

The pure in heart would see God.

The peacemakers would be called the children of God.

And those persecuted for righteousness' sake would receive the kingdom of heaven.

³⁹ And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

⁴⁰ And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

Jesus rose.

The wind tore across the water. The waves rose against the boat.

He turned toward the storm.

“Peace, be still.”

The words were spoken.

The wind ceased.

The waves settled.

The lake that had been driven into fury became calm. The boat no longer fought against the water. The disciples stood amid the sudden stillness, surrounded by the quiet lake.

Jesus turned to them.

“Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?”

⁴ Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

⁵ Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

⁶ Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

⁷ Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Then the great description began.

“Charity suffereth long, and is kind…”

It waits.

It is kind.

It does not envy.

It does not boast.

It is not puffed up.

It does not behave itself unseemly.

It does not seek its own.

It is not easily provoked.

It thinks no evil.

It does not rejoice in iniquity.

It rejoices in truth.

Then Paul gave it endurance.

“Beareth all things…”

“believeth all things…”

“hopeth all things…”

“endureth all things.”

²⁰ He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

²¹ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

The vision was complete.

The promise remained.

The Lamb remained.

The city remained.

The river continued to flow.

The tree of life stood beside it.

The light remained.

And the invitation remained.

“Come.”

John had seen the beginning of the vision.

Now he had seen its end.

But the end was not darkness.

The end was life.

The end was light.

The end was the presence of God.

The end was the Lamb.

John stood within the silence that followed.