Wednesday, June 8, 2011
The Shepherd...
WHEN a shepherd has at last overtaken his poor, silly, wandering sheep, he does not straightway fall to scolding or beating it for having cost him so much toil and trouble. No; but he observes that it is very weary, that it has torn itself among thorns, and cut itself among jagged rocks, and therefore he first tenderly sees to its wounds, and then bears it back to the fold in his own arms. Poor trembling sinner, the gospel has at length laid hold upon you; you cannot longer run into the paths of sin, grace has stopped your mad career, and made you tremble at the guilt of sin. You are afraid of Jesus, for you know how sorely you have grieved him; you fear that he will chide you severely, and perhaps spurn you from his presence. Oh think not so of the Good Shepherd! He is already gazing on your bleeding wounds, and preparing to bind them up; he will soon take compassion on your weakness, and bear you in his arms. Trust to him, poor sinner, just as the poor sheep trusts the shepherd. A man is more precious than a sheep, and Jesus is more tender than the most careful shepherd. To coming sinners he is gentle indeed. When the prodigal returned all ragged, and filthy, his loving father did not put him in quarantine till he had been cleansed and purified, but there and then he fell upon his neck and kissed him, without so much as giving him one upbraiding word. He came straight from the swine-trough to his parent's arms. That welcomed prodigal is the type of such sinners such as you are. You too shall have all kisses, and no frowns; all love, and no wrath; all kindness, and no severity. Oh! if you knew the Saviour, you would not delay. Now, now poor heavy-laden sinner, trust the Lord Jesus, and live. He has never treated one returning prodigal with harshness, and he cannot change, and will therefore deal as generously with you as He has done with others. Whether thou wilt trust him or no—I will—I do. Poor sinner, may the Holy Spirit lead thee to look to Jesus and live.--From the Sword and Trowel by Charles Spurgeon
Enlighten My Eyes...Psalm 13
To My Sweet Daughters...
When we are waiting and cast down how slowly time passes. Sadness and grief can at times seem to make time stand still. David cries out here.
How long o Lord.? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?--Psalm 13:1-2
You can hear his despair here, his grief and sadness are overwhelming him. He cries out to God in His distress...feeling abandoned and forgotten. The Bible is replete with reminders that our God does not forget us. We are His beloved child. A mom may forget her nursing infant, but God does not forget us...we are inscribed on the palms of His hand. His love and presence abide with us always. Even in our darkest moment, He is with us...working it all together for our good and His glory.
Sorrow is a heavy burden. The Lord Jesus has surely borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. He knows what we are going through...in a very personal way. He understands your sorrow even better than you do. He has borne it. How great and wonderful is our God! Follow Him...He goes before you and not only shows you the path to walk but walks it with you!
David's sorrow is made worse because he is bowed down and sad and yet his enemy laughs at him. It doesn't get much worse than that...unless, of course, that enemy is a family member or trusted friend. Someone who held your heart. This was often the case with David. His own son betrayed Him and sought to kill him. His trusted counselor also. David understood deep, deep sorrow and grief.
The next verses begin to turn David's despair. He goes to the right place..to God His exceeding joy. His hope and his help!
Consider and hear me, O Lord my God; Enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed against him;" Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved.--Psalm 13:3-4
Coming to God and crying out to Him in our weakness, our hopelessness and our despair changes everything. I cannot imagine...I shudder to think of what my life would be like if I could not do this. Spurgeon says that the mercy seat is the life of hope and the death of despair.
David prays here for his eyes to be enlightened. That was my prayer last night and it is my prayer this morning. O Lord, let me see all that you are doing with the clear eye of faith. Let me see you even in the darkness. Illuminate my thinking by your Spirit that dwells in me. My whole countenance is brightened and lifted when I "see: my trials with your eyes. The Bible tells us that He even makes the darkness light about us. When our eyes become dim and we begin to see our trials through despair rather than faith and hope, it will sap us of our energy and make our eyes heavy. David even speaks of it weighing him down to the point of death. O Lord, enlighten my eyes!
I love the next argument David uses to plea for God's mercy. It is not the Lord's will that our enemies be exalted over us..His children. This would dishonor God who promises us victory. Truly, though, we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. Nothing can separate us from Him. We may in fact be the objects of ridicule and scorn for a time but the day is coming when the tables will be turned and God's wrath will be poured out on those to whom it is due. Until then...He is our strong tower and refuge in time of trouble.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.--2nd Cor 4:16-18
The last two verses of this psalm show a complete change of heart.
But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.--Psalm 13:5-6
The mercy seat has done its work! The winter is past and the flowers are beginning to appear. A change has been wrought in David's heart and he now begins to rejoice and sing. He asserts that he has trusted in God's mercy. God is David's strong tower and defense. His enemies have not driven him out of the presence of His God. David clings to His God and lays hold of the hope set before him. His faith is an anchor to His soul. His hope and confidence are in God! When we wait on our God, He deals bountifully with us! We look back and sorrow over the times we complained to Him about our lot. We see His goodness in all He does. We see His purposes and His heart of love for us even in our trials and yea, especially in our trials.
I close with a quote from John Trapp:
"The world wonders how we can be so merry under such extreme miseries; but our God is omnipotent, who turns misery into felicity. Believe me, there is no such joy in the world as the people of God have under the cross of Christ. I speak by experience, and therefore, believe me, and fear nothing that the world can do unto you, for when they imprison our bodies, they set our souls at liberty to converse with God; when they cast us down, they lift us up; when they kill us, then do they send us to everlasting life. What greater glory can there be than to be made conformable to our head, Christ? And this is done by affliction. Oh good God, what am I upon whom Thou shouldest bestow so great a mercy?
Love
Mom
When we are waiting and cast down how slowly time passes. Sadness and grief can at times seem to make time stand still. David cries out here.
How long o Lord.? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?--Psalm 13:1-2
You can hear his despair here, his grief and sadness are overwhelming him. He cries out to God in His distress...feeling abandoned and forgotten. The Bible is replete with reminders that our God does not forget us. We are His beloved child. A mom may forget her nursing infant, but God does not forget us...we are inscribed on the palms of His hand. His love and presence abide with us always. Even in our darkest moment, He is with us...working it all together for our good and His glory.
Sorrow is a heavy burden. The Lord Jesus has surely borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. He knows what we are going through...in a very personal way. He understands your sorrow even better than you do. He has borne it. How great and wonderful is our God! Follow Him...He goes before you and not only shows you the path to walk but walks it with you!
David's sorrow is made worse because he is bowed down and sad and yet his enemy laughs at him. It doesn't get much worse than that...unless, of course, that enemy is a family member or trusted friend. Someone who held your heart. This was often the case with David. His own son betrayed Him and sought to kill him. His trusted counselor also. David understood deep, deep sorrow and grief.
The next verses begin to turn David's despair. He goes to the right place..to God His exceeding joy. His hope and his help!
Consider and hear me, O Lord my God; Enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed against him;" Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved.--Psalm 13:3-4
Coming to God and crying out to Him in our weakness, our hopelessness and our despair changes everything. I cannot imagine...I shudder to think of what my life would be like if I could not do this. Spurgeon says that the mercy seat is the life of hope and the death of despair.
David prays here for his eyes to be enlightened. That was my prayer last night and it is my prayer this morning. O Lord, let me see all that you are doing with the clear eye of faith. Let me see you even in the darkness. Illuminate my thinking by your Spirit that dwells in me. My whole countenance is brightened and lifted when I "see: my trials with your eyes. The Bible tells us that He even makes the darkness light about us. When our eyes become dim and we begin to see our trials through despair rather than faith and hope, it will sap us of our energy and make our eyes heavy. David even speaks of it weighing him down to the point of death. O Lord, enlighten my eyes!
I love the next argument David uses to plea for God's mercy. It is not the Lord's will that our enemies be exalted over us..His children. This would dishonor God who promises us victory. Truly, though, we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. Nothing can separate us from Him. We may in fact be the objects of ridicule and scorn for a time but the day is coming when the tables will be turned and God's wrath will be poured out on those to whom it is due. Until then...He is our strong tower and refuge in time of trouble.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.--2nd Cor 4:16-18
The last two verses of this psalm show a complete change of heart.
But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.--Psalm 13:5-6
The mercy seat has done its work! The winter is past and the flowers are beginning to appear. A change has been wrought in David's heart and he now begins to rejoice and sing. He asserts that he has trusted in God's mercy. God is David's strong tower and defense. His enemies have not driven him out of the presence of His God. David clings to His God and lays hold of the hope set before him. His faith is an anchor to His soul. His hope and confidence are in God! When we wait on our God, He deals bountifully with us! We look back and sorrow over the times we complained to Him about our lot. We see His goodness in all He does. We see His purposes and His heart of love for us even in our trials and yea, especially in our trials.
I close with a quote from John Trapp:
"The world wonders how we can be so merry under such extreme miseries; but our God is omnipotent, who turns misery into felicity. Believe me, there is no such joy in the world as the people of God have under the cross of Christ. I speak by experience, and therefore, believe me, and fear nothing that the world can do unto you, for when they imprison our bodies, they set our souls at liberty to converse with God; when they cast us down, they lift us up; when they kill us, then do they send us to everlasting life. What greater glory can there be than to be made conformable to our head, Christ? And this is done by affliction. Oh good God, what am I upon whom Thou shouldest bestow so great a mercy?
Love
Mom
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