Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Orange Moon Tuesday, February 23, 2022 "The Sweet Sigh"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…


"The Sweet Sigh"

    

   One of the most blessed aspects of God's peace in the Lord Jesus Christ involves the truth that we belong to Him rather than to ourselves.

    "Ye are not your own" (I Corinthians 6:19).

    Let us breathe the sweet sigh of relief as this glorious truth graces our hearts with deliverance from the delusion that we belong to ourselves.  Our Heavenly Father created us as stewards rather than masters and owners.  He eternally exists "the Possessor of Heaven and earth," including the Heavenly and earthly components of ourselves (Genesis 14:19).  The very essence of sin involves the deception embraced by Adam and Eve that "ye shall be as gods" (Genesis 3:5).  By definition, "gods" must own themselves and possess their own being.  Incumbent upon such responsibility is the necessity of independent governance, provision, and self preservation.  Only One exists who qualifies for such life and existence.  To the living and true God, the Psalmist confessed, "Thou art God alone" (Psalm  86:10).  Thus, only One exists who belongs to Himself, as it were.  All others are His - "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world and all they that dwell therein" (Psalm 24:1).

    The sweet sigh of relief proceeds from the remembrance that we have entrusted the care of our spirit, soul, and body to their rightful Owner.  In times of blessedness, we rejoice in the wonder of God's gracious bestowal of pleasure.  In times of distress, pain, and difficulty, we remember that every aspect of our being belongs to our Lord.  Physical challenges, for example, tempt us to concern about our bodies.  We may express, for example, "My back hurts."  The pain and the challenge are real, and we must deal with the factors involved as the stewards of our earthly temple.  Truth, however, beckons us to the realization that our aching back belongs not to ourselves, but to Another.  Believers are "the sheep of His pasture" (Psalm 100:3).  Our Shepherd thus owns our wool, mutton, and every aspect of our physical being.  We deal with physical issues in the light of this Truth that enables us to live from tranquility rather than trepidation.  As a saint of old confessed, "I am Thine, o Father.  Thou may doest as Thou wilt with Thine own.  I trust Thee and rest in Thee with complete confidence in Thy loving care."

   This is peace, the gift of the Prince of peace to whom we belong.  We do a poor job when attempting to own ourselves, as deluded by the ancient devilish lie.  However, when we remember and affirm the eternal Truth - "Ye are not your own" - our Father exercises His perfect capacity to possess and rule us in the wisdom, power, and the love of a Heart devoted to our well being.  The sweet sigh awaits us in this and in every moment as the sweet Truth reminds us of our Shepherd, and the peace of being stewards rather than owners.


I am Your's, o Father.
Do what You will with Your own.
For You made me
and You bought me
by the hand and lifeblood of Your Son.

I am Yours, o Father,
do as You will with Your own.


I have not the knowledge or the wisdom
to guide my heart and feet.
I find no way 
to make my way
without Your light and strength.

 I am Yours, o Father,
do as You will with Your own.


O how blessed, oh how sweet!
the sigh of glad relief!
That I belong
to You alone,
 what hope, what light, what peace!

I am Yours, o Father,
do as You will with Your own.


"I am Thine."
(Psalm 119:94)

Weekly Memory Verse
    For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
(Romans 12:3).





 





































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