The Special of the Day... From the Orange Moon Cafe...
"Inside Out"
The Bible speaks of God's provision of the Lord Jesus Christ in the superlative terms of "unsearchable riches" (Ephesians 3:8). In all things, our Savior is all we need, and more. "I am come that they might have life, and they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).
Abundance, however, does not always seem at hand during this present earthly lifetime. Nor is it, in the outward sense. No less than the Apostle Paul who proclaimed God's complete supply also acknowledged great need and lack during his own life. "I have been… in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness" (II Corinthians 11:25; 27). Paul often experienced attrition rather than abundance as he sought to fulfill his calling to communicate God's saving grace in the Lord Jesus. What then did he mean by "unsearchable riches?"
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3).
Without neglecting or minimizing the outward blessings God bestows, Paul realized our Heavenly Father's emphasis on our hearts. "The Lord looketh on the heart" (I Samuel 16:7). God purposes to fill and fulfill us within because He made us to live from inside out, as it were, rather than outside in: "the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart" (Ephesians 6:6). In our present existence, circumstances and conditions ever change, as determined and allowed by our Lord. If we wait until things please us in order to experience peace and joy, we will usually wait a long time. Then, even if events go our way, we will find our hearts remain unfulfilled because seeking to live from outside in conflicts with who and what we are. "Keep thy heart with all diligence, for from it are the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:23).
The day will come when "all spiritual blessings" will coincide with all circumstantial and situational blessings of a perfect eternity in Christ. This is not that day. Presently, we realize our possession of God's abundant supply offers "peace that passeth all understanding" and "joy unspeakable" to our hearts regardless of outward conditions and events (Philippians 4:7; I Peter 1:8). Certainly we expect and rejoice in the Lord's provision of outward blessings. However, we understand this is not and cannot be His current emphasis. Born again believers in the Lord Jesus are rich in heart because our Savior dwells therein us to be superlatively more than we will ever need. We must realize and affirm these riches, and wonder at the greatness of a Lord who reveals His love, peace, and joy where such fullness and fulfillment seemingly cannot be.
"O send out Thy light and Thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto Thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise Thee, O God my God. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God: for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God."
(Psalm 43:3-5)
Weekly Memory Verse
In the multitude of words there wanteth (lacks) not sin."
(Proverbs 10:19)
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