Through the years I've been grateful for the many Bible verses I've committed to memory. God brings them to mind so many times at just the right moment to ease my burden and bring peace to my soul. But I've discovered that sometimes with these memorized verses, I've been missing something! I haven't always remembered the context of the verses, and I've gained a great deal by looking up the verses brought to mind.
A case in point is the story of Jesus warning Peter that he would deny his Lord 3 times that night (John 13:38). It was only in recent months that I really realized what the NEXT verse said. The next verse is one I've had memorized for a long time and it means so much more to see it in this context. It says, "Let not your heart be troubled. . . " (John 14:1). Jesus not only warned Peter of what would happen, He also gave words of comfort! This is the God I've come to know. This is the depth of His caring!
This morning, I realized once again that several verses I have memorized individually over the years, all follow one another:
- "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles." Psalms 34:6 KJV
- "The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them." Psalms 34:7 KJV
- "O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him." Psalms 34:8 KJV
Reading it all together, plus some others (this time from the New Living Translation) I read:
"In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles. For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need. Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing." Psalms 34:6-10
Thank you, Father! As I think about this, you remind me of another promise: those that hunger and thirst after righteousness will be filled. (Matthew 5:6). There's another one of those words again. "Righteousness", what does it mean to hunger and thirst after righteousness, Father?
I look up the original word and find it means "equity (of character or act)", and is also translated "just" (as in "being a just man"). Is this perhaps related to the idea of caring for others as much as we care for ourselves? I think of the passages that have once again been brought to me in this last week (The Least of These). Those, together with the verses that I was brought to at this same time last year from Isaiah chapter 58 speak to this same idea. Some of the greatest promises are tied to this concept of caring for those less fortunate and sharing what we have with them.
Father, thank you for your promises. May I indeed hunger and thirst for equity! May I see those opportunities you place before me to live those principles. May I have clarity about what it is you would have me do, and the willingness to do it. Thank you for working in me "both to will and to do"(Phil 2:13) of your good pleasure, Father!
No comments:
Post a Comment
This blog is simply a sharing of my "daily bread" - my daily walk with God. If something I've said has touched your heart, or sparked a new thought, I'd love to hear from you.