Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:39:44 -0500
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (July 15); BP: Ps. 119:49-56; RBTTY: Acts 19:21-41;
July 15 “His Comforting Word”
“Remember the Word unto Your servant, upon which You have caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction—for Your Word has quickened me.”
Psalm 119:49-50
In the “dark night of the soul,” it will be the One Who comes to us through the Word that sustains us when everything and everyone else has failed.
Dear Pilgrim, can you remember a time when you were down-and-out. . .the light was gone from your eyes and the spring from your step. . .and one of God’s precious Promises came to mind and comforted your soul? If so, today’s Manna is definitely for you.
Perhaps you felt vulnerable and afraid. But, there in the night-watches you found consolation that “the Lord is your Shepherd and you’ll never be left in a lurch” (Ps. 23). Or, perhaps you were in a quandary as to what to do. . .not knowing where to go or to whom to turn. And, then, suddenly, it hit you: The God of Abraham is always there “when you mount up to the heavens and descend again to the depths—your soul melting within you because of your troubles as you reeled to and fro, staggering like a drunken man, and are at your wits’ end” (Ps. 107:26-27).
Or, perhaps you were going through a particularly difficult time—a “pressure-cooker fiery furnace,” if you will—and suddenly you remembered the three Hebrew children and “the fourth Man walking” (Dan. 3:13-15) or 24-karat faith (I Pet. 1:6-7).
Regardless, the result is the same:
It is our “remembering His Word that causes us to hope” and it is “resting in His Word that we find comfort in our affliction—for His Word has quickened (Heb. ‘chayah’—‘to cause to live, revive, keep alive, sustain, nourish, enliven, repair, restore, etc.’) me.” Hallelujah!!
The psalmist’s faith was no fair-weather faith; it was a “militant faith” that refused to “decline (Heb. ‘natah’—‘to stretch or spread out, bend away, bow down, be overthrown, pervert, etc.’) from His law” (v.51). Instead of giving in to self-pity, he offered the “sacrifice of praise” (Heb. 13:15) unto the true and living God—confident that His grace will sustain him, regardless of the situation (II Cor. 12:9-10).
Likewise, when we look around us and see “the wicked forsaking God’s law” (v.53) or despair because of the “prosperity of the wicked” (Ps. 73:1-15), we get alone with God . . .gain new perspective. . .and praise (Ps. 73:16-25). . .and allow His “songs in the house of our pilgrimage” (Ps. 119:54) to fill our heart and mind.
Assuredly, there’ll be times when we, like David, feel “no one cares for our soul” (Ps. 142:4). But, like David, we “encourage ourselves in the Lord our God” (I Sam. 30:6) and will ourselves to rise up in praise and thanksgiving to the One Who “will never leave us nor forsake us” (Heb. 13:5b). Remember, weary one: Our God is faithful (I Cor. 10:13) and a “very PRESENT help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). Trust Him. Find comfort in Him, His Presence and His never-failing Promises. He’s able.
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