Hidden Treasure
2009-12-25
It's a White Christmas in Fort Worth, TX. Merry Christmas to all who might read this.
Psalm for today: Psalm 144. Herein, the psalmist declares our Lord to be a strong tower, a fortress, a castle, wherein we can run for safety and protection. He then wonders why such a high and might God even cares about us. He desires to sing a new song to God. Then he prays for the children of believers, that they may be strong and mighty, sons like might oaks, daughters like wildflowers.
In 2 Timothy 4:18, Paul states that God will "rescue me from every evil deed...." Yet he was, at that moment, imprisoned, awaiting his execution by Nero. So was he, in fact, rescued? Yes. Because the most evil deed that could be thrown at him was death. The last part of the verse says, "...and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom." Unless we be alive at the final coming of our Lord, there is no way to be brought "safely into his heavenly kingdom" without experiencing physical death. Paul did not think that God would keep him entirely from physical harm. The testimony of Paul's life would completely contradict that thought. Tabletalk Magazine says this: "What Paul is getting at is the fact that Christians are saved from the real power of evil that seeks to destroy us. Death, reflective of the original curse as it is, is the worst that our Creator's enemies can throw at us, but being united to Christ and thus released from slavery to sin (from which death gets its sting) means that death will not have the final word." The last word in the reading, under the "Coram Deo" section says, "God has made us creatures of body and spirit, and that is how we will enjoy the final state in the new heavens and earth. Every blemish in these bodies of ours, every ache and pain and disease will be gone and
no longer will we have the desire or capacity to sin. This is what we should be longing for above all, not the comforts of this world that are temporary but the everlasting pleasures of living in the unmediated presence of the Lord God Almighty Himself."
Hallelujah and Amen!! My heart leaps for joy in expectation of that day! I have struggled with sin so much in my life that I cannot even imagine being in a state where the desire or capacity to sin does not exist. That, my friends, will be glory for me!
Proverbs 2:1-5 has some thoughts about how we read/study God's Word.
My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.
Wow. There is an intensity described here that we need to heed when studying the Bible. There is also a sense of humility indicated, in that we must humbly receive the instruction from God.
The author of Holiness Day by Day asks these questions: "What value do we place upon the Word of God? Do we search it as if we were seeking for hidden treasures, or do we read it and study it only because we know it is something we should do?"
Ouch. I'll take the fifth amendment...
Father, I first want to thank you for being that strong tower that I can run to and be safe and protected. But why do I ever leave it?? Why do I leave the safety of your protection and run out into danger? I suppose I will never understand that.
I also thank you for the promise of the day when I will not ever want to do that again. I praise you for the day that is coming when our bodies will no longer suffer with pain and imperfections. We will be perfectly healed in your presence for eternity! That will be such a glorious day that none of us can even begin to imagine what it will be like. Even your faithful apostle John's words must sure pale in comparison with what is reality.
Finally, Lord, I pray for more diligence when it comes to reading and studying your words. I desire to read the Bible as though I were searching for buried treasure. Your words contain treasures of wisdom. I pray to read and study to find them.
Father, I pray for peace on Christmas, and during the rest of the year, as well. May we (the believers in the world) lay down our swords and guns and pick up love for our fellow man. May we display the love of Jesus Christ to all people all the time. Let us never be rightfully accused of being "haters." (There will always be those who unjustly accuse.)
Merry Christmas again to all. Let us search the Scriptures for hidden treasure, not just read them casually. And let the love of the Christ child fill our lives.
Grace and peace, friends.
