Meditations of a Father: (b)

 •  4 min. read  •  grade level: 7
 
Promises
“Exceeding great and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:44Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:4)). Promises—the Bible is full of them, waiting for us in the simplicity of faith to claim them for our own enjoyment. Sometimes we promise with all good intentions but are not able to make good due to human impossibility. But here we have promises from a God with whom nothing is impossible and before whom we stand in unchanging favor because of our position “in Christ.” He wants us to make good on those promises in the energy of faith.
Fear
“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid” (Isa. 12:22Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. (Isaiah 12:2)). Fear sometimes crowds into the heart, but the secret is choosing simply to trust based on the exceeding great and precious promises that God has given us in His Word. When God fills the heart, so does trust, and consequently the fears have to go.
Strength
“Thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength” (Isa. 30:1515For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. (Isaiah 30:15)). The reason for returning is that the current of this world is away from the source of real and lasting strength, trying to get us to trust in ourselves. It is not a matter of being strong in ourselves that is the answer, but rather in resting quietly in His strength.
Majesty
“Lo, these are the borders of His ways; but what a whisper of a word do we hear of Him! and the thunder of His power, who can understand?” (Job 26:1414Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand? (Job 26:14) JND). Job had been speaking of the wonders of creation and then, when he considers HIM who made it all, he makes this eloquent statement. All that we hear of Him is but a whisper of a word. Isn’t it just marvelous to be able to know such a great God? And then to be able to look up in the simplicity of faith and call Him “Father.” The more we know of Him, the more we are brought to realize just how little we know of Him who fills heaven and the heaven of heavens.
Revelation
What gives strength is knowing who our God is and acting in the light of that revelation. Abraham did not consider what seemed to contradict naturally, but he chose to believe God. It is a strength that is evident not merely in youth but often in those of age who simply act in the light of the revelation of who our God is.
Obedience
Read Luke 5:1-111And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, 2And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. 3And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. 4Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 5And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. 6And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. 7And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. 8When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 9For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: 10And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. 11And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him. (Luke 5:1‑11). It is interesting and important to give attention to the smallest of details of what the Lord has to say to us. Here Peter was told by the Lord to let down the nets. Oh, the blessing He wants to pour into our lives—when He gives, He gives in abundant measure. Peter probably thought the Lord, being a carpenter, did not know much about fishing, but he would comply and let down at least one net. But that meant (1) that his net broke, (2) he lost some of the fish and (3) he had to ask for help from the other boat and they both almost sank. There is only one response for us when our God speaks to us—simple, unqualified, wholehearted obedience. Let us simply set our thoughts aside and accept His thoughts.
Persistence
“Although he will not get up and give them to him because he is his friend, because of his SHAMELESSNESS, at any rate, he will rise and give him as many as he wants” (Luke 11:88I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. (Luke 11:8) JND).
Here the Lord teaches that in asking in prayer we cannot be too shameless.
Think of going in the middle of the night to some person and, just because he is a friend, making him get out of bed just to give you some bread. Inside the friend tells him, “I cannot.” Still he persists, and in the end he gets all he needs. Most would be ashamed to do such a thing. But the Lord uses this to encourage the persistence of real faith. Because it is our God Himself, we cannot be too shameless in asking—insignificant or large. The persistence of faith asks, seeks and then, if necessary, knocks until there is the answer.
Do we really know what such supplication means?
R. Thonney