Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Sun, 24 Aug 2008 20:53:07 -0500
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (Aug. 25); BP: Jer. 15; RBTTY: Rom. 7:20-40; Ps.
DEAR FELLOW PILGRIM:
Greetings once again in Jesus' Precious Name! Thank you so much for your continued prayers for my family and me during this time of transition. All is well and the Lord Jesus has been blessing in so many ways. Many thanks to my brother, Lynn, for sending the "Morning Manna" out for me once again. And, as always, I do pray the Holy Spirit ministered to you through them each day. Here's praying the Heavenly Father will pour out His blessings on you in the coming days. To Him be all the glory!
In Jesus' Undying Love,
Bro. Tom
August 25 &n bsp; “Hope for Pain Undeserved”
“Why is my pain perpetual and my wound incurable, which refuses to be healed?. . .”
Jeremiah 15:18a
For the Pilgrim, it’s purifying, not punitive, and will further transform us into the image of our dear Savior.
Pain.
The mere mention of the word causes us pain—especially if we’ve experienced much of it down through the years. As we know, it varies in type and duration; yet, pain is pain, whether it be physical, mental, emotional or even spiritual. That’s why today’s Manna is one to which most of us can relate.
As we know, Jeremiah was created and called to the prophetic ministry he was doing even before he came into this world (1:4). His initial response was resistance (1:6), but the Lord reassured him that He knew exactly what he was doing and would supply his every need (1:7-10, 17-19).
Even so, that doesn’t lessen the pain or perplexity we feel when we’re going through great pain. Although Jeremiah knew his mission was God-ordained for the specific purpose of calling his countrymen into repentance, that didn’t lessen the fact that he was still human. . .with the human frailties of inward mental anguish and emotional distress . . . .and the natural questions of “Why is this happening to me?” and “Why are they doing this to me?”
But, oh, dear Pilgrim, during those times of painful perplexity, we must cease-and-desist from such ponderings—and we must run to the Lord (Ps. 73:1-17). Only there, in our private rendezvous with our Lord, can we receive new perspective. . .on others and ourselves (vv.18-24). . .and break forth in new praise for the One with Whom we have to do (vv.25-28).
So, again, Jeremiah’s remembrances of who he was and what he’d done (Jer. 15:10, 15-18) were normal; but, they had to be replaced with who God is and what HE had done (vv.11-14, 19-21; Heb. 11:6) if he was going to find any relief. And, weary one, the same must also be true for us if true, heartfelt praise is to ever spring from a soul full of pain and “vexation of spirit” (Eccl. 2:11).
Notice what the Lord told Jeremiah in the midst of his “perpetual pain and incurable wound that refused to be healed:”
“Verily, it shall be well with your remnant” (v.11a). He would “work all things together for good” (Rom. 8:28) and even cause his “enemy to entreat him well in the time of evil and afflictions” (v.11b). So, press on, Pilgrim—in Christ, “The best is yet to be.”
“I am with You to save you and deliver you, says the Lord” (v.20c). We should never forget the same One Who traveled our road ahead of us and did not fail in His mission (Heb. 4:14-16) is the same One Who comes alongside of us and will help us not fail in ours. Trust Him, Pilgrim. It may be night now, but the Son’s arising (Ps. 30:5b).
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