Of Promises

It seems to me that the Christian Church these days talks a lot about promises that God has made. Promises like, "The Holy Spirit will comfort you!",
"God will bless your tithe money and turn it on your enemies!",
"He'll complete the work he started!",
"He's forgiven you your sins!",
"The last shall be first!",
"He is a good father that will give you good things!".
And then there's the blessings: "Blessed is he who fears God",
".. who worships God",
".. who praises God",
"Blessed are the poor in spirit... are those who morn... are the meek... are the peacemakers".

But first of all what does "blessed" really mean? and second, did we forget the other promises?
Sometimes the Church presents these blessings as ease of life, little trials, an unhindered peace of mind, or a permanent assurance. But I don't really know if that's true. Blessed could just mean that God looks at them with favor and acceptance and love. It could mean their heavenly mansions are just bigger. I could just mean spiritually their better off, but leaves the natural state untouched. I haven't done my research on any of this, haven't had the time, just thinking a loud. So we'd have to find out what is really meant by "blessed". But now what about those other commonly forgotten blessings?

"Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake." - Luke 6:22
"Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness," - Matt. 5:10
"Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake." - Matt 24:9
"Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;" - Ps. 94:12
"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles" - Matt. 10:16-18
To name a few that I found. And didn't almost all of the Apostles, Christ's little chosen band, get crucified, stoned, imprisoned, and/or executed. Yep.
At the end of most of these verses are also some words of encouragement about the promise of perseverance or guidance or whatever but this is the point: It's like this, the passage goes, "all things work together for good.." not, "All things work together for temporal good.." In my experience I have seen these Christians that run around thinking that because their good or that God loves them or that "blessings" is strictly temporal or that they've already suffered much, that they have good things coming to them or that they deserve temporal good things. But is this really the testimony of the Scripture? It promises sure temporal trials, tribulations, back-stabbings, an endless war against sin, earthquakes, wars, disease, famine, death, persecution, and powers and principalities all about us. But it seems the blessings and promises that we often mistake as temporal are actually very much spiritually minded. He gives us faith, strength, love, perseverance- whose climax is at death-, sanctification-whose climax is at death-, and the ultimate promise, that of salvation that also climaxes at death. Where do we get the notion that God's going to give us money, fame, power, physical comfort (all of these Proverbs strictly warns against), or perfect parents or children? I wonder.

I am surprised the Christian doesn't expect more trials in life, as God promises. I am surprised that when trials do come the Christian usually is shaken and cries out, "Why!?". I am surprised the usual Christian assumes the blessings are temporal. But of course he would, he's a physical being, right? How can he understand a spiritual God? I am surprised the Christian isn't surprised when life is good, shouldn't then he say, "Why!? What did I do? I am a sinner! I don't deserve a bit of this!"? And why am I not surprised that I am preaching to myself?

Of The Frontal Cortex

Tonight my head rests between worlds,
Plains of the open and closed eye.
Where still images dance in jubilee,
And time spins its desperate lies.

Rock and Water beseech my head,
Campaigning their inimical ways.
Each pleading, this night I swallow them,
But the size of I is one stoke of fate.

The river clear and graceful flows,
If elemental cleave is overt.
Still, earth must also truly guide,
Life's veins to prudently discern.

By misplaced stone and lax surge,
They rage about each other.
Tumult is born and physics matures,
Yet Time takes the chaos downriver.