Erika Mathews's Blog, page 14
March 18, 2018
The Light of the Body
No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.
The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.
Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.
If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.
Today’s Scripture passage is filled with truth about the light. Let’s examine just a few of the many rich truths of Jesus’ words:
You don’t put a candle under a bushel, but notice that you don’t set it outside in the wind and rain, either. While hiding the light isn’t a logical option, neither is flashing it at those who don’t want to see it. It’s those who come in who see the light and benefit from it.
The light of the body is the eye. The darkness you live in depends on the state of your eye.
If your eyes are looking unto Jesus, beholding none but Him, then your eyes are brilliantly lit from reflecting His glorious light. That light shines through your whole body, illuminating every member. What this mean practically is that when your eyes are singly focused on Jesus Christ, your mind thinks His thoughts, your hands do His work, your feet perform His will, your heart beats for Him, your mouth speaks His words. His light you are receiving by your focus on Him pours out of every area of your body. When this occurs, your entire being becomes a bright candle of God Himself.
This passage also contains a warning, however: “Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.” When we look “every man upon his own things,” when we allow our focus to be distracted by the cares of this world, when our eyes stray to ourselves, then our eyes lose contact with the Source of Light. Without continual refilling from the Source, we quickly become dim, losing the light that we had. Matthew gives an additional caution: “If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” When we who have known and reflected the True Light of the World allow darkness to overtake us, that darkness is indeed great, particularly in contrast to the light we once enjoyed.
Are you looking unto Jesus today? Where is your attention, your focus? Are you receiving His light – through fellowship with Him allowing it to shine to every part of your being?
Meditate on this passage, and ask Jesus what He has to tell you today about the light.
March 17, 2018
The Candle of the Lord
Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good.
Man’s goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?
It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.
A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
In Hebrew, the word translated “spirit” literally means “breath.”
This breath within us is God’s light – His lamp, His candle.
Yet what is this breath? What does this mean for us?
The first time the word is mentioned is in Genesis 2:7:
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
With that single creative act, Yahweh God transformed Man from inanimate, lifeless dust to a living soul. The breath of life was the catalyst that flowed from God to man that in one moment completed the transformation. And that breath of life is still flowing from God to man by means of His Holy Spirit that He has placed upon us and within us.
The grandeur of this creative act of God strikingly outpaces even the magnificence of God’s first creative act: “Let there be light.” Picture the scene: thick darkness was upon the face of the deep. Nowhere did a single speck of light penetrate or illumine anything. Yet what happened next? The Spirit of God (Divine Breath) moved upon the face of the waters. The Breath of God moved, God spoke – and light appeared!
Now picture the scene after God formed man from dust. There lay man, a perfectly-shaped yet totally lifeless form. Without life, darkness lay deeply upon mankind. Then God initiated face-to-face contact – personal, intimate contact with mankind – breathing into his nostrils the very breath of God – and man became a living soul. Divine, holy light burst in splendor over man’s entire being. Animated by God’s breath, man lived for the first time. The breath that man breathed was the life-breath of God Himself.
Yet then what happened? Man sinned, and the connection with God’s breath was severed. The breath was knocked out of him. “In the day ye eat thereof, ye shall surely die.” This death happened – darkness descended upon man’s life.
But this isn’t the end. God still shines His light into man’s life – by restoring His own Divine Breath within us. By the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, connection with God was restored. When Jesus appeared to His disciples after the resurrection, He breathed on them, saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” He also commanded them to wait for the promise – the Holy Spirit of Promise that the Father would send. When it came, it came with the sound of a rushing, mighty wind that filled the house, manifested itself as a literal “candle of the Lord” (tongues of fire), and completely transformed the lives of the disciples.
What a vivid and powerful picture! The Holy Spirit that breathed life into man in the beginning and the Holy Spirit that fell upon and filled the disciples is the same Holy Spirit that lives in us today. He truly is God’s light within us. Receive that Divine Breath today, and allow its fullness to transform you to true, abundant life in Him!
March 16, 2018
Rise in Obscurity
Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:
And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Meditate on this passage today – the faithfulness and love of our God. This chapter is filled with covenant promises: if we walk in Him in one area, He will grant our lives a specific blessing.
For instance, as we pour our souls out for others as broken bread and poured out wine, wasted for their wellbeing, God’s light becomes an innate, strong, and bright part of our lives. Even our darkness is as noonday in the brilliance of His covenant love that shines from our innermost being as we walk in His covenant!
But that’s only the beginning. He’ll guide us continually; He’ll satisfy our souls; He’ll grant us physical health and vitality; He’ll make us fruitful; He’ll make us foundation stones for strong generations; He’ll grant us the role of restorer.
Is that not a life well worth living?
Pour yourself at His feet and allow Him to use you as He wishes. The light He pours into and through you in return will be greater and more blessed than anything you can begin to imagine.
March 15, 2018
Break Forth As the Morning
Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.
Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.
Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.
The morning light of the sun appears gently, gradually at first, imperceptibly lightening the horizon with faint bands of color. Slowly the hues deepen, spreading further across the landscape. Then at last, at the climax of anticipation, the sun itself breaks forth in full brilliance above the horizon, its beams shooting across the landscape to illumine all it touches.
God’s covenant promise to us is that this is the way our light will break forth.
But there’s a condition.
Fasting.
It’s not a popular activity by any means. It’s not something you’ll hear preached as often as memorizing Scripture, praying, or sharing Jesus Christ. But it’s something God is quite emphatic about in Scripture.
In Isaiah, God’s people are lamenting the fact that He is not blessing their fasting. In their minds, fasting is a sure ticket to God’s favor – but they aren’t seeing that play out in their lives. Through Isaiah, God is telling them why. Fasting isn’t an automatic guarantee of God’s blessing; like everything else in our lives, it must be done according to God’s leading and methods. God clearly states in this passage several things fasting isn’t:
A time to seek personal pleasure.
A time to perfect your own labors
A time to craft winning arguments for your cause
A time to gain an audience
A time of mourning and grief
A time of defeat
But what does He say fasting is?
A time to loose the bands of wickedness that bind you to an old habit or that bind others from coming to God
A time to undo heavy burdens: to lay down cares and pleasures alike, to set ourselves apart as holy that we may lift the burdens of others
A time to let the oppressed go free – free from the cares of the world
A time to break every yoke – to sever relationships that hinder full focus on Christ
A time to give bread to the hungry, sacrificing our own physical needs for others
A time to bring the poor into our houses, practicing selfless hospitality and generosity
In essence, it’s humbling ourselves to the will and work of God, focusing on what is important in His kingdom. It’s a time of claiming and putting into action the victory we have already won through Christ Jesus.
That’s the condition.
THEN, God promises, your light will break forth as the morning, your health will spring forth speedily, your righteousness shall go before you, and My glory will be your rearguard.
What a promise! With the true light of life, solid health, a reputation of righteousness, and a guard of His own glory, what more could we need?
Are you willing to set yourself aside for the greater rewards found in knowing and honoring Him?
March 14, 2018
Putting Darkness for Light
But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.
Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat.
Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:
That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Because God is a God of covenant, covenant curses will follow those who are in covenant with Him and yet break that covenant. One of the covenant curses falls upon those who live purposely contrary to the inherent holy and true nature of God: calling evil good, good evil, darkness light, light darkness, bitter sweet, and sweet bitter.
Why is this so significant? Not only is it against God’s character of truth, it abuses the power of words that God has given to us. Did you know that spoken words have power to change the physical realm?
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” (Proverbs 18:21)
By calling good evil and evil good, we are reversing the very power, order, and system as created by God. By putting darkness for light and light for darkness, we are equating the blackness of sin to the purity of Jesus Christ. We are turning God’s world upside down in the worst possible way.
Unfortunately, this is all too common in our culture. Actions that God has declared are contrary to who He is (and are sin) are tolerated and even encouraged. Attitudes that are diametrically opposed to God’s nature are exalted and promoted.
This isn’t limited to blatant toleration of sin in our culture, however. Perhaps your motives are praiseworthy but your methods run contrary to God’s law. This, too, is calling evil good and good evil, putting light for darkness and darkness for light.
In the New Testament, Jesus condemned the Pharisees for dedicating all of their resources to the temple and leaving none to assist their parents – in direct opposition of the fifth commandment. The action itself may have normally been commendable – giving resources to God’s work is generally in harmony with God’s law – but the circumstances that included breaking God’s law rendered the gift despicable.
By muddying the waters between light and darkness, we create a personal darkness for ourselves as well as for all those around us. The light is dimmed, and the work and word of God are not able to shine into our lives and the lives of those around us.
Instead, let us fix our eyes firmly on our Father, the Source of Light itself. By beholding only Him, we are changed into His image, and our actions, words, and motives reflect only His light. Light causes darkness to flee, and in the glorious light of His presence, all is transformed into stunning brilliance that only His face can bring.
March 13, 2018
Living the Shining Life
Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
Once again, we see the power of the Word of God reemphasized. (Are you starting to see a theme here?) The picture is one of clinging to instruction, defending her, doing all in your power to keep her closely to yourself. “She is thy life.” Truly the Word of God is life – are you investing your days in doing all you can to guard it within your heart and mind? Praise God for His Holy Spirit within us who guides us into all truth and brings to our remembrance everything Jesus has said!
In the rest of this passage, two paths are contrasted: the path of the wicked and the path of the just. Of the path of the wicked, little description is given, and little is necessary. The solemn warning, however, is reiterated – just in case you were thinking about being curious about the wicked’s lifestyle:
Enter not…go not…Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
Do not even come close to a lifestyle of evil! There is no justification for idle curiosity or even a vague hope to “befriend them and win them to God” as you join them in their activities. Psalm 1 echoes:
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
God’s will is plain: don’t even stand in the way of sinners! Instead, be found only in Him. The darkness of the path of the wicked will indeed bring all who walk therein stumbling at that which they know not.
And here, we transition to the second path: the path of the just, the path of a shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day.
What is this shining path?
Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life… (John 14:6).
As we walk in our Lord Himself who is the shining path, He illumines every aspect of our lives. Discovering more of who He is and being drawn nearer to Him day by day, our path is increasingly enlightened until at last we see Him face to face without a veil of flesh in between.
He is the Bright Morning Star and the Sun of Righteousness.
Meditate on this thought today: Jesus Christ as your shining path. Walk forward in Him, and savor the joy of His presence and His light.
March 12, 2018
His Enlightening Commandment
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
The darkness of the world, the flesh, and the devil blinds and dims our eyes. Spiritually, we are nearsighted; we look upon our own things instead of on things above and the things of others. No wonder we can only see as in a mirror dimly! No wonder Jesus spoke in parables – “that seeing they might not see and hearing they might not hear, for this people’s eyes are darkened.” As the Pharisees of Jesus’ day, we walk about as blind people thinking that we see. As the church in John’s day, we do not even know that we are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.
Yet what is the eye salve that Jesus counsels the church of Revelation to buy that they might see?
Psalm 19, among many other passages in Scripture, tells us:
“The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.”
God’s Word is the Light for our entire being! His law converts our soul; His testimony enlightens our understanding; His statutes gladden our heart; and His commandment enlightens our eyes. The entirety of His Word provides light to the entirety of our being.
Specifically, His commandments are important because they are the basis of His covenant with us. As we remain in His commandments, we remain in His covenant and all that entails. His commandments show us our own sinfulness and continually remind us to run to Jesus and rely on Him to be Righteousness and Holiness within us.
In Matthew 5, Jesus confirms:
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
Psalm 119 adds:
“Thy word is very pure.”
It is the utter purity of the word that is able to remove the filth and dimness from our eyes and allow His light to penetrate. John 15, among other passages, uses a cleansing analogy to describe the action of the Word in enlightening our eyes and hearts:
“Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.”
The washing of the water of the word, as His Word continually rolls over our entire being, removes the filth of the world – the fleshly thoughts that blind our eyes and contribute to nearsightedness. As we soak ourselves in the Word of God, He creates new thought patterns in our minds. Our minds begin to think according to the fashion of God’s thoughts instead of our own. What we think about becomes our belief system, which in turn dictates who we are and how we act. Because we are continually being exposed to the blinding darkness of the world, we must continually set our minds upon His commandments in order to keep our spiritual eyesight sharp.
The bright and pure light of God’s Word may be painful and unbearable to eyes accustomed to darkness. It may take time to accustom ourselves to this new Light; however, this is not a reason for discouragement but for perseverance. In time we ourselves will shine forth with new radiance – the radiance of Jesus Christ Himself.
March 11, 2018
Death Becomes Light!
With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.
Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.
He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.
He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.
He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.
He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.
He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.
He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.
This passage is an attempt to corral the ways of God into human terms – a difficult feat, as we know that God’s ways are much higher than man’s. One thing comes out clearly in Job’s words from a hear overflowing with suffering: the way God works isn’t something we can understand. Often He appears to work in contradictions: droughts and floods, spoiling counselors, making judges fools, spoiling princes, overthrowing mighty men, removing the wise man’s speak, removing understanding from the aged, weakening the strength of the mighty, and blessing and then destroying nations.
Where is the light in this? To the earthly mind, this sounds like darkness and confusion. Yet in the spiritual kingdom, it is the mind of the flesh that is darkness and the mind of God that is true wisdom – for we know that the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men. The more we abide in Him and seek an intimate relationship with Him, the more we come to understand His ways.
Verse 22 of this passage is at once deep, powerful, and beautiful: “He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.”
Death is often thought of as the darkest, deepest, scariest element in existence. Furthermore, the very idea of bringing a shadow to light seems like a contradiction.
Yet where does the shadow of death lurk? Does it not lurk deeply within our own beings, sentencing us all to eventual death? From the moment we were born, we begin the process of dying. We have the sentence of death in ourselves. By our sin nature dwelling within, one could certainly contend that the darkest place in existence is the human heart.
And in a beautiful story of redemption, God who is Light – the Highest and Holiest – entered into human existence, took upon Himself the very form of sinful man, felt the full weight of the darkness and evil that the devil brought against Him, bore all of our sins upon Himself, descended into the lowest parts of the earth, and died – for us. He entered into the very essence of darkness and the shadow of death; He fully experienced the very blackest parts of them all (and rest assured that no doubt the physical death, gruesome and torturous though it was, yet must have paled in comparison to the weight of the spiritual battle in heavenly places of which He was the very centerpoint) – and, in awe-inspiring triumph, rose undefeated by either the darkness or the death.
Truly He brought out to glorious light the darkness and the shadow of death! Now it holds no more power over us. As we receive and abide in Him, we are dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God. We have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless we live – yet not us, but Christ lives in us. Since we through Him have defeated darkness and death once for all, we can truly say, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil – for thou art with me.” Fear flees in the face of utter victory!
If you are experiencing darkness of any sort in your life today, turn to Jesus the Light! He who has brought perfect light into deepest darkness can certainly lighten whatever you may be facing. Every small struggle or frustration matters to God, and He loves to be your Light and Victory each day of your life!
March 10, 2018
Light Is Sown
The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.
Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.
A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.
His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.
The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.
The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.
Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.
Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O LORD.
For thou, LORD, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.
Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.
Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
In this passage, earthly light repeatedly describes the majesty and holiness of God:
Clouds and darkness round about Him
A fire going before Him
Lightnings of God enlightening the world
Hills melting like wax in His brilliant presence
Despite the natural fear God’s awesome glory might incite in those who are not one with Him, this Psalm focuses on quite a different response: joy.
“Let the earth rejoice.”
“Zion heard and was glad.”
“The daughters of Judah rejoiced.”
“Gladness for the upright in heart.”
“Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous.”
“Give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.”
Because our all-powerful and holy God reigns in the earth, the earth ought to respond with pure joy: nothing evil can have any ultimate power or position when the earth is under the dominion of the omnipotent God!
Truly, the terror-inspiring light of God’s holiness is the same light that produces the seeds sown in our lives. “Light is sown for the righteous.” We’ve already seen that God’s Word is our light – through our restored oneness with Him by the cross, His Spirit now dwells in us, bringing to remembrance His words. As we receive His words and meditate upon them day and night, they are seeds within us that will bring forth fruit in their season – some sooner, some later.
This is confirmed in the parable of the sower in Mark 4. After giving the parable, Jesus says:
Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God…Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
The sower soweth the word.
And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.
And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
By abiding in the Word and receiving it, we receive the abundance of its fruit – and bringing forth much fruit is walking in the light. The caution for us is to be continually fixing our mind on the Word – after all, we can allow several elements into our lives that prevent the seeds that are sown from growing:
We can hear the Word but allow Satan to snatch it away because we’re distracted, preoccupied, or not serious about listening.
We can be excited about the Word for a time, but then neglect or forget it when it’s too difficult. The “affliction and persecution” need not be physical or verbal harassment as we tend to think of it; it may be simple pressures of life.
Perhaps most sobering of all, we can hear and receive the Word but yet in the course of daily life allow the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things – even good things – to consume our thoughts and attention, thereby choking the Word. When we set our affection and attention on other things, there is no longer any room for the Word to grow and bear fruit in us.
Yet if we keep our eyes on Jesus Christ, abiding and rejoicing in Him, the light of the Word that is sown in us will bear fruit: that is His promise. Furthermore, “in this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so shall you be my disciples” (John 15:8). As we choose to fix our mind on Him, the fellowship of gladness between Father, Son, Spirit, and us will overwhelm our lives with its joy and light!
March 9, 2018
Light of the Living
Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me.
Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High.
What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.
They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.
Shall they escape by iniquity? in thine anger cast down the people, O God.
Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.
In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word.
In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.
For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?
Notice the oneness and trust that the Psalmist has with God in this passage. In every aspect of his life, he’s turning to God, trusting God, relying on God for protection, provision, and help. In the midst of his struggles, he is turning to His Father for mercy, understanding, strength, peace, and sympathy.
Interestingly, however, the Psalmist isn’t asking God for anything in this particular Psalm apart from the opening phrase, “Be merciful unto me.” Instead, he’s simply declaring the following:
The facts (who God is, how trustworthy God is, the circumstances of what his enemies are doing, that enemies will turn back when he cries to God)
His personal feelings (oppressed, afraid, tearful)
His resolutions based on the facts (I will trust, I will praise, I will not be afraid)
What trust, and what a challenge to us in the face of adverse circumstances we might face! It is so easy to give in to our feelings, responding and acting based upon them instead of upon the facts. Since our feelings will lead us to actions that are not only wrong but also miserable, this is a lose-lose situation and a surefire way to abide in darkness.
By the death and resurrection life of His Son, God has already delivered our souls from death. If He has already accomplished what is arguably the greatest deliverance of our lives, can we not trust Him to deliver our feet from falling in our daily lives? No matter what enemies or hardships we may face, God’s loyal care for us in every circumstance surely can be trusted. If we’ve committed the life and death of our souls to Him, certainly we can trust Him with the daily trials!
Trust that God’s goal for you is indeed that you may “walk before God in the light of the living.” He loves us more than we can imagine, and His thoughts and plans toward us are so much higher and greater and safer and yet more adventurous than our own could ever be. He is abundantly able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy!
