FWD: Morning Manna (Sept. 22); BP: Jer. 29; RBTTY: Galatians 1; Eccl.

 
Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net

 

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-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Sun, 21 Sep 2008 20:44:23 -0500
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (Sept. 22); BP: Jer. 29; RBTTY: Galatians 1; Eccl.
 

September 22                                                                                                      “God’s Thoughts Toward Us”

 

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord:  Thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  Then shall you call upon Me and you shall go and pray unto Me and I will hearken unto you.  And, you shall seek Me and find Me when you shall search for Me with all your heart.”

                                                                                                                                               Jeremiah 29:11-13 

     Through eyes and ears of faith we know Him and feel His heart of love.

     Steadfast love.

     That’s the bottom-line message contained in today’s Manna.  And, in this day of fickle faith and shallow loyalties, it’s definitely a message we need to hear. . .and proclaim.

 

     In reality, God’s allowing Judah to be swept off to Babylonian captivity for 70 years was an expression of “tough love.”  You know the kind:  Love that sets parameters. . . lays out ground rules and expectations. . .and then enforces them.  It’s not an oppressive or controlling love—for forcing someone to show affection to you isn’t love; it’s tyranny.

 

     No, the Lord God loved Judah/Israel and demonstrated that love patiently to them down through the years.  Even during the times of her complaining about bitter water (Ex. 15:22-24), hunger (Ex. 16:1-10), lack of water (17:1-4) and even refusing to enter the Promised Land (Num. 13:1-14:10), the God of Abraham continued to love them, even though He punished their sins (Num. 14:20-35).

 

     So often our minds, which are hostile toward God from birth (Rom. 8:7), begin souring against Him and His Word.  A few bad things happen and we get down in the dumps.  Some folks don’t appreciate all we’ve done for them and even turn against us.  We lose our job. . .or our child/spouse gets sick, running of thousands of dollars of hospital bills. . .and inwardly we begin to question the Lord, crying, “Why, Lord?  Why is all this happening to me?  What did I do to deserve this?”

 

     But, oh, dear Pilgrim, it’s during those times that we must “cry out unto the Lord” (Ps. 107:26-28) rather than turning against Him.  Our suffering may be because of our sins against Him—and, then, again, it may be because of the sins of others or simply through God’s permissive will (e.g., Job).

 

     Regardless, we must continually “cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bring into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ” (II Cor. 10:5).  We must not give in to those “demonic doubts” that call into question God’s love or His plans for our lives; instead, we must continue to “give thanks in all things” (I Thess. 5:18) and incarnate today’s Manna in everything we think, say and do.

 

     Even while being “knitted in secret in our mother’s womb, the Lord knew us and loved us” (Ps. 139:14-16).  His thoughts toward us (then and now) are “precious and innumerable” (Ps. 139:17-18).  That’s why we must daily, moment-by-moment “seek Him with all of our heart, knowing that He will be found of us and ultimately bring us to where He wants us to be.”  Hallelujah!!