FWD: Morning Manna (Nov. 28); BP: Ps. 37; RBTTY: I Pet. 5; Ez. 33-34

 
Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net

 

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-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Tue, 27 Nov 2007 09:06:38 -0600
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (Nov. 28); BP: Ps. 37; RBTTY: I Pet. 5; Ez. 33-34
 
November 28                                                                                     "On Delighting and Receiving"  
"Delight yourself also in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way unto the Lord; trust also in Him and He shall bring it to pass. . .But the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace."
                                                                                                                                      Psalm 37:4-5, 11
      In Christ "resting" is "releasing" and our "delight" is in Him.
     The Hebrew word " ‘anag" is used in today’s Manna for "delight" and also means "to be soft or pliable, luxurious, delicate, etc." Thus, it’s the picture of someone resting in the most comfortable bed ever imagined or that of one basking in the sun while lying on the creek bank, as the slow-moving waters ripple over the rocks and a soft breeze caresses his face.
Sounds totally "delicious," doesn’t it, Pilgrim?
 
     Assuredly it does. Glory!!
     But, in reality, that’s exactly what David is saying in our Manna in the spiritual realm. So often, we fume or get frustrated. . .pine or pout. . .worry or grow weary. . .when troubles come—especially when they spring from others’ unkind or unscrupulous ways. Somehow we envision our delighting coming when "God pleads our case" (Ps. 35:1)—i.e., comes to our rescue like the cavalry to the rescue. However, such is not the implication there. . .for sometimes, like Jesus, our road will be a rocky one and seemingly always against the tide. And, in Him, it’s always Calvary to the rescue.
 
     It’s during those times we must lie quietly on the Potter’s Wheel and say, "Not my will, but Thine be done" (Lk. 22:42). Like Jehoshaphat, there’ll be times when we must "be still and know that He is God" (Ps. 46:10) and say, "We have no might against those who come against us. . .we don’t know what to do. . .but our eyes are upon you" (II Chron. 20:12).
Is this "passive resignation"—i.e., a "Que sere, sere" ("whatever will be, will be") response? Does our being "meek (Heb. ‘anav’—‘gentle, lowly in mind, humble, etc.’)" mean simply lying down and becoming the world’s doormat?
 
     No, it doesn’t mean that at all.
     However, it does mean we engage in "positive relinquishment" of our lives and circumstances into the loving hands of our Lord. There’s a time and place to "stand and be counted;" there’s another time and place to "rest and wait patiently" (Ps. 37:7). And, only the Holy Spirit can tell us which response is the right one in a given situation (Eccl. 3:1).
Regardless, there’s one thing that’s always "in season:" "Delighting ourselves IN HIM. . . committing our way unto the Lord. . .trusting Him to bring His desires to pass in our lives. . . and knowing He will give us an abundance of peace." So, go forth in peace today, Pilgrim—confident the Father’s grace is sufficient, knows your needs and will supply them (II Cor. 12:9-10; Phil. 4:19).