Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 19:43:07 -0600
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (Feb. 29); BP: Ps. 32; RBTTY: Mk. 7:1-13; Num. 20-22
February 29 “On Praying for Assurance”
“For this shall everyone that is Godly pray unto You in a time when You may be found. Surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. You are my Hiding Place. You shall preserve me from trouble. You shall compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.”
Psalm 32:6-7
When we know He is our Anchor, we can always pray with calm assurance.
It’s easy to get real “spiritual” when bullets (literal or figurative) are whizzing overhead. As someone said, “I’ve yet to see an atheist in a foxhole.” So true, so true; however, “foxhole faith” is often fleeting faith when the crisis is over.
That’s why we must always remember to pray to the Lord when everything’s going good and our view from the mountaintop is an idyllic one; otherwise, He’ll seem to be far-off or “missing-in-action” when we descend into life’s dark valleys and need Him.
There’s no doubt David was doing through a distressing time when he penned today’s Manna. You don’t talk about your “bones waxing old (Heb. ‘balah’—‘wearing out, decaying, growing brittle, etc.’) because of your roaring (Heb. ‘sheagah’—‘rumbling, moaning, etc.’) all the day long” (v.3) if nothing bad’s happening. Likewise, you don’t talk about your “moisture (life’s juices, strength) being turned into the drought of summer” (v.4) if everything’s “coming up roses.”
No, the shepherd-king was having a hard time of it. He’d already “acknowledged his sin and confessed his transgressions to the Lord—and knew the Lord had forgiven him” (v.5). But, still he felt the need to remind himself (and us) that the best recourse in trouble is to pray.
The ungodly don’t pray in such times.
Oh, they might say “Help me, Lord” or hurriedly pray the “Lord’s Prayer” like some spiritual formula or protective talisman. But, such prayers are as feeble as a toy arrow shot into the air from a child’s bow when prayed by one who doesn’t know Him. Only the Godly know how to pray today’s Manna and receive assurance when they do.
Does this mean our house will never be swept away in a flood or blown away in a tornado? No, not at all. Does this mean we’ll never contract cancer or have a loved one who dies from it? Again, not, not at all.
But, it does mean we have One Who’ll always be our “Hiding Place, Who’ll preserve (Heb. ‘natsar’—‘to guard, maintain, keep, watch over, etc.’) us in the midst of trouble and encompass us with songs of deliverance” like “Amazing Grace”. . . “Rock of Ages” . . . “He Leadeth Me”. . . “How Firm A Foundation,” etc. Glory!!
And, it also means “Blessed Assurance” will always be our theme song because of Jesus, Who is “ the sure and steadfast Anchor of our soul” (Heb. 6:19). Why not spend a few minutes “Selah-ing” (resting, pause to reflect) right now—giving thanks to the One Who’s promised to “never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5b)?
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