Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:23:27 -0500
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (Aug. 27); BP: Jer. 16; RBTTY: I Cor. 9; Ps. 120-122
August 27 “Suffering for Pain Deserved”
“And it shall come to pass, when you shall show this people all these words and they shall say unto you, ‘Wherefore has the Lord pronounced all this great evil against us? Or, what is our iniquity? Or, what is our sin that we have committed against the Lord our God?’ Then, you shall say unto them, ‘Because your fathers have forsaken me, says the Lord, and have walked after other gods and have served them and have worshipped them and have forsaken Me and have not kept My law. And you have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, you walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto Me.”
Jeremiah 16:10-12
Oh how deep the darkness of sin and how blind the eyes of those that live in it.
Part of our agony as Pilgrims is having our eyes opened to “right and wrong” (Gen. 3:5)—for such “insight” is an “invite” into excruciating mental, emotional and, yes, spiritual pain.
From the time of the Fall until now, by nature we’re born with a sense of “right-and-wrong”—or, as one philosopher/theologian said, “A sense of ‘oughtness’.” Even children have a sense of “fair play” and are quick to point out when someone’s breaking the rules.
Yet, a child doesn’t agonize over the “Just War Theory” or man’s inhumanity to man. No, they get mad for a few minutes. . .threaten to take their ball and go home. . .but soon are sitting down together, with some cookies and milk. . .and are soon back outside playing blissfully together.
That’s why today’s Manna is both perplexing and painful.
For the ones asking the questions they asked, it’s perplexing and painful because they don’t have a clue why such terrible things are happening to them. They act surprised when hardships and heartaches come and shake their fist at God or us and demand answers. Or, they go on a talk show on television or write a best-selling book about “Life’s Injustices” or “10 Ways I Overcame Adversity.”
But, dear Pilgrim, such folks don’t have a clue (I Cor. 2:14). Like the folks in Jeremiah’s day, they don’t realize they’re simply reaping “the wages of sin” (
That’s where our perplexity and pain come in.
We, who are the Redeemed, have had our spiritual eyes and ears opened. Through daily communion with the Lord Jesus via Bible study and prayer, we see much clearer what’s really going on. And, our “agony of soul” is trying to tell those suffering why they’re suffering such “deserved pain” and how to find rest.
But, don’t be surprised if they resist you—and even attack you. Pride (and the flesh) dies slowly. And, in the process, so do we; however, ours is a dying to self (Gal. 2:20), while theirs is a dying to God. Remember: You can’t change a hardened heart by confrontation; much better is intercession. So, who are you praying for today?
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