Eternal Comfort

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“May Your unfailing love be my comfort, according to Your promise to Your servant.” -Psalm 119:76

Comfort. Who doesn’t desire comfort? We enjoy creature comforts such as a cozy blanket, a hot cup of coffee, a warm fire and “comfort” food. But the comfort the psalmist refers to is the deepest kind of comfort which reaches the soul. It is a spiritual comfort only the Lord can provide. This is an assurance of God’s love, like how a mother holds her young child close, whispering a calming hush over them. The little one settles into her security, knowing he is loved and taken care of. If we know how to love like this, how much more does God love His own children? It is rich, deep and incomprehensible. God has promised such love in His Word. 

The climax of the Father’s professed devotion took place after the psalmist’s life, on the cross at Calvary. But this psalmist could still look back at God’s past faithfulness of promises fulfilled for a confident hope in future graces. He sees himself as a servant to the One True King whom he saw from a distance. If David penned this psalm, then he also knew he was the forerunner to the Great Messiah.

God uses our afflictions as mentioned in the previous verse to bring us comfort in Him. Sometimes He allows pain in our lives to get our focus off of the worldly distractions and look up. He is our Refuge and desires to be just that for His children. His heart is to gather His lambs into His arms and hold them close, whispering a calming hush of love and assurance over every single sheep. 

Rest in the beautiful love Christ has for you, sealed with His own blood. If you are in Christ, let your eternal freedom comfort you today.

Grace upon grace,

April

Grow deeper: Isaiah 40; Hebrews 11:13-16; 38-40

Faithfully Afflicted

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“I know, O Lord, that Your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness You have afflicted me.” -Psalm 119:75

God faithfully afflicts those He loves. This seems counter-cultural in our world of comfort and ease, especially in the West. But to be brought low and dependent, for our spiritual vision to be sharpened, we generally need experiential training on the ground. The psalmist sees goodness in all the Lord’s dealings. How can he not trust the One with all wisdom? The God who made him and loves him best? How can we not trust in our Father who gave up His only Son to make a way for creatures like us to come to Him in peace? Jesus suffered the greatest affliction on the cross, paying the believer’s sin debt as the Father poured out His just wrath, forsaking His Son until it was finished. His ways are surely righteous and good even when we do not fully understand why we must endure a particular sorrow.

The Lord also disciplines those He loves. His rod and staff guide us to His pleasant pasture. Earthly fathers who love their children discipline them for training- to be respectful under authority, to know the difference from right and wrong, to be humble, and learn how to treat others. If these are the standards a father uses for his children, how much more loving and gracious are the ways of our Heavenly Father? All He does is for His glory and our eternal good. 

When you are afflicted, rest in this truth- God is conforming you to look like Jesus. This is our sanctification. We are being refined to practice what our position in Christ already is. He is faithful to complete this work no matter what it takes.

“being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 1:6

Grace upon grace,

April

Grow deeper: Psalm 23; Hebrews 12:3-15

Hope-filled fruit

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“May those who fear You rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in Your Word.” -Psalm 119:74

Hope. What is life without hope? We all hope. I hope next year will be better. I hope he wins the election. I hope you feel better soon. For the Christian our hope is a sure confidence in the One whose promises have not failed us and will not fail us. Hope in God is as sure as the rising and setting of the sun. To hope in His Word is to settle into security, a soul calm of refuge because the Christian knows God’s words to be true and trustworthy. We know how the Story ends. 

Along with this treasure of comfort, we have fellowship with other saints. God loves us too much to allow us to live like islands from each other. We are better together, encouraging one another in the faith to fear God and walk worthy. This is why attending church, small groups and discipleship is so important (Hebrews 10:24-25). Here the psalmist notes the importance of relationships. Our vertical fellowship will effect the horizontal ones. As you grow in the Lord, your desire will be to see others grow in their faith also, causing us to rejoice with the Spirit when we see fruit! The result of hoping in God is a life of bearing fruit for Him which will last for eternity. The joy is ours to come alongside our brothers and sisters in Christ glorifying our Heavenly Father. 

Grace upon grace,

April 

God our Creator, Teacher and Father

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“Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn Your commands.” -Psalm 119:73

The psalmist begins the octave with a prayer by acknowledging God as Creator of his person. God formed our souls as well as our bodies. He placed each freckle, determined your height and skin color. He knew what our personalities would be like- shy, outgoing, stubborn, timid, loud, quiet, reactionary, contemplative. Our Maker knows us best, inside and out. Equipped with this knowledge, the psalmist requests more understanding. Going straight to the Source, the writer is aware God will give him exactly what he needs according to his abilities and level of comprehension. The Lord will not turn away a sincere heart thirsty for more of Himself.

“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to me, and whoever comes to Me I will never drive away.” -John 6:35-36

Grace upon grace,

April

Grow deeper: Psalm 139

Led by Hope

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“Your Hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn Your commands.

May those who fear You rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in Your Word.

I know, O Lord, that Your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness You have afflicted me.

May Your unfailing love be my comfort, according to Your promise to Your servant.

Let Your compassion come to me that I may live, for Your law is my delight.

May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause; but I will meditate on Your precepts.

May those who fear You turn to me, those who understand Your statutes.

May my heart be blameless toward Your decrees, that I may not be put to shame.”

-Psalm 119:73-80 (Yodh)

God is our hope. His promises carry weight because it is a sure outcome. He has proved Himself over and over. God doesn’t have to bestow such wondrous love, uncommon grace, or measureless mercy. Yet He cannot be anything contrary to His nature- He will not. Our hope is in the strength of His salvation, the sufficient work of Christ, His imputed righteousness, our eternal peace and fellowship with God Himself. This is our joy and blessing. Remembering these truths will help you and I live out a life of love for our Father like the psalmist does. 

We can also follow the psalmist’s example by not concerning ourselves with those bent on harming Christians. Rather, we focus on enjoying fellowship with other believers, as means of grace God has given each of us. As the world drifts toward the pull of distractions and lies, God’s people learn to cling to Him even if we feel alone. The Lord is faithful to lead His sheep Home. For now, our response is to stay faithful and “contend for the faith”, keeping an eternal perspective. When Christ returns we will not be put to shame.

Grace upon grace,

April

Grow deeper: Jude 3-4; 1 Kings 19:1-18

The Pruning Effect -part 2

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“Do good to Your servant according to Your Word, O Lord. Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in Your commands.” (vv. 65-66)

The psalmist asks the Lord to bless and equip him to keep learning God’s ways. His belief in God has ignited the flame of desire that burns brighter to grow. This can only be accomplished by the Lord’s favor and the work of His Spirit. 

“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey Your Word. You are good, and what You do is good; teach me Your decrees.” (vv. 67-68)

He confesses his past sins and the need for God to teach him to obey. The writer declares his belief in God’s character of providential goodness. 

“Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep Your precepts with all my heart. Their hearts are callous and unfeeling, but I delight in Your law.” (vv. 69-70)

These verses reveal how unbelievers have treated the psalmist, yet this has made him cling to the Lord even more. 

“It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn Your decrees.” (v. 71)

This is the turning point in the octave as the psalmist reflects on how his trials have changed him. He can testify to the passage in James, considering his hardships as joy, because they have refined his heart to persevere in God. 

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)

“The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.” (v. 72)

This is the fruit of perseverance. When we run to God as our refuge, His ways are pleasant. We begin to experience for ourselves the rich treasures of God’s storehouse.

God is good. There is none like Him. All He does is good, even in adversity- especially in adversity. For it is here we learn who our true friends are, what we really treasure, and experience God’s faithfulness. God is the only One who is truly good. This makes His Word more precious when one realizes what a gift it is. He has only ever wanted the very best for His Beloved. This is why He gives us good commands to follow. Yet the greatest act of love and goodness was God giving us His Son so that we may share in His joy of eternal fellowship (John 3:16). May the Lord help us to obey Him in His strength. May our love for Him grow deeper even in our sorrows as Christ becomes more dear to us. 

Grace upon grace,

April 

Further encouragement: In Christ Alone by Mercy Me

 

The Pruning Effect -part 1

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“Do good to Your servant according to Your Word, O Lord.

Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in Your commands.

Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey Your Word.

You are good, and what You do is good; teach me Your decrees.

Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep Your precepts with all my heart.

Their hearts are callous and unfeeling, but I delight in Your law.

It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn Your decrees.

The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.”

-Psalm 119:65-72 (Teth)

God’s Word is relevant today as when the authors of Scripture wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit over two thousand years ago. Human nature has not changed and therefore we benefit from it’s truths in the 21st century as the first readers did. Particularly here, it is refreshing how the psalmist is not afraid to express emotion, showing his deep devotion to God our Father. He knows who he is in the Lord. Yahweh isn’t only his portion but his identity. He belongs to God. Even under affliction and persecution the psalmist is resolute in trusting the Lord, loving Him and following Him as he declares God’s goodness.

In your experiences of rejection, isolation or being maligned, count them as blessings in disguise. The Lord has allowed me to personally experience depression in order that I might be refined. His ways are always good even when we don’t understand. There is great joy and honor in sanctification. It means there is purpose in pain.

God our Father allowed His own Son to endure hateful rejection from others. Men and women still scoff at Christ our Savior. Yet Jesus died on a cruel cross to make a way for those who seek Him. He knows what it is like to walk this earth as a Man. He sympathizes with our struggles because Jesus was “tempted in every way, just as we are- yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

The result of pursuing God in adversity is in the last verse. The psalmist’s fellowship with the Lord is deepened, his love sweetened, as his Friend and Comforter becomes all the more dear to him. The writer of Psalm 119 has learned to look at his afflictions with acceptance knowing God will use it for His glory and the psalmist’s eternal good.

Grace upon grace,

April

Grow deeper: John 15:1-2; Isaiah 53:3; 10-12; Hebrews 4:14-16

Divine Love -part 2

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“You are my portion, O Lord; I have promised to obey Your words.

I have sought Your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to Your promise.

I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to Your statutes.

I will hasten and not delay to obey Your commands.

Though the wicked bind me with ropes, I will not forget Your law.

At midnight I rise to give You thanks for Your righteous laws.

I am a friend to all who fear You, to all who follow Your precepts.

The earth is filled with Your love, O Lord; teach me Your decrees.”

-Psalm 119:57-64 Heth

In this octave the psalmist is prompted to think and turn toward God’s righteousness (verse 59; line 3 above). This is helpful for all Christians as we grow in faith. Anyone who desires to know the Lord and abide with Him will first meditate on His truth revealed in the Written Word. After considering, praying, and possibly wrestling over a text, we then respond to it. Everyone reacts. It may be you remain unmoved and apathetic to the Scriptures. Or you leave the pages a changed soul, even the slightest move toward our Lord rather than drifting away from His Presence. No one is stagnant. This is the beauty of the Bible. It is living and active and will reveal our inner thoughts and motives. What do we think about God? Do we believe the Bible is true? Can we trust in Jesus to save and keep us for eternity?

The psalmist contemplates how he is living before God. What an encouragement to know even the writer of Psalm 119 needs the Lord to refine him. He might even echo the prayer in Psalm 139:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (vv. 23-24)

The psalmist has meditated and responds to the truth he knows. We are all invited to do the same:

Think of God’s ocean of mercy toward us, known and loved by Him before the foundation of the world.

Think of His favor by allowing us to seek His face.

Think of His shepherding love and faithfulness.

Think of how undeserving we are.

Think of how sin clings to us like tar.

Think of your private and public life before God.

Turn in humility.

Turn in need of God’s grace.

Turn to the One who forgives, saves, restores.

Turn and praise our Creator, Redeemer and Friend.

 

Grace upon grace,

April 

Divine Love -part 1

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“You are my portion, O Lord; I have promised to obey Your words.

I have sought Your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to Your promise.

I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to Your statutes.

I will hasten and not delay to obey Your commands.

Though the wicked bind me with ropes, I will not forget Your law.

At midnight I rise to give You thanks for Your righteous laws.

I am a friend to all who fear You, to all who follow Your precepts.

The earth is filled with Your love, O Lord; teach me Your decrees.”

-Psalm 119:57-64 Heth

Faith is active. In every verse the psalmist lives out his love for God by his actions, praying for the Lord’s help- more grace, more understanding. The first verse sets the tone for the section. God is his portion. The Lord is everything to him. It isn’t a cold transaction between a servant and his master, but love like a child has for his father. Young children often trust their fathers without question. They may think of their dad as a superhero who never gets tired and can do no wrong. Not until we mature do we see the humanity in our earthly fathers, which should lead us to the Perfect Father we desired all along. Oh for the faith of a child. They often take the ones they love at their word, without wringing their hands over the possible ‘what-if’ scenarios. This childlike, peace-filled love is how Adam loved God before the Fall, walking with Him in the cool of the day. 

The love God has toward His children goes deeper than any friendship or romantic love. It is love in the purest sense of the word, untainted with sin. God IS the very definition of love. It is deep fellowship love with the One who made us and loved us first. He knows us most intimately, not only how He created us physically, but also how we think and feel.

Most are too dull, too satisfied with the things of this life to taste divine love. C.S. Lewis is famously known for his quote:

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” -The Weight of Glory 

Oh for more grace to have our eyes opened to such sweetness with the Father. Oh for more understanding to know His ways and follow the One who loves us best. 

Grace upon grace,

April 

Grow deeper: 1 John 4:11-17

 

Practicing Holiness

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“This has been my practice: I obey Your precepts.” -Psalm 119:56

The truth is not hidden from God’s children. He has graciously opened our eyes to His revealed Word to mine the depths of His riches. This is our blessing. God instills His wisdom in each redeemed saint for us to put into practice what we now know. God has made a life of faith very practical by laying out His precepts for us to follow. 

God knows we cannot live out His ways in our own strength so He also gave us His Counselor to help us walk the narrow way. We are happy and holy within the walls of God’s commands. As we remain faithful to practice holiness, not out of legalism but a sincere desire to be conformed to the likeness of Christ, the Lord will add more wisdom and deeper fellowship to a life in joyful obedience.