Word of Encouragement (08/18/2022)
Let us notice that the incense offering was to accompany the dressing and lighting of the golden lampstand. John Gill says about this, “…we learn also, that the light of the word and prayer should go together….” We are familiar with the connection between God’s word and light: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105).
We can see why God’s Word and prayer should go together. God’s Word is His self-revelation. Through it, we come to know Him, His will, and His purpose (as much as God has revealed Himself to us and humanly possible). If the foundation of Christian prayer is, “Not my will but Your will be done,” how can we pray well without knowing what God’s will is through His Word? Two days ago, we talked about how our prayers should be worthy of the name of Jesus Christ, by whose authority and merit we approach God. The Bible shows us what kinds of requests are worthy of Christ’s name.
The most obvious way the Bible does this is through the promises of God. We cannot claim all the promises in the Bible for ourselves. There are certain promises, which were given to specific individuals, not universally to all of God’s people. God’s promise to Hannah, for example, to grant her a son after a long time of childlessness is not for every wife, sad to say. (However, Hannah’s story should encourage childless couples [and their families and fellow saints] to pray for children since it shows that God can, and does, grant children to those who desire them if it is according to His will.)
But there are promises that all Christians can claim. For example, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). As you survey the Bible, you will notice that God’s universal promises for all His people are about such “spiritual” blessings. You may feel let down by this example. You knew that already and you wanted something more exciting and spectacular. But what does that say about your heart and what you value? What “spectacular” things are more valuable and desirable than the spiritual blessings we have in Jesus Christ, such as the promise of forgiveness to those who confess in the name of Jesus Christ, the promise of eternal life to those who believe in Jesus Christ? Even a miracle is only temporary, like a firework that lights up the sky and is soon gone. No miracle lasts forever like our election, justification, adoption, sanctification, and glorification.
Think about this. God needs to flex His divine muscle only a little, so to speak, to perform a miracle. For our spiritual blessings, the Son of God had to come into this world to suffer and die. What do you think is more valuable to God? What do you think God will give to all of His beloved children without any exception—something that doesn’t really matter or something that truly matters?
But if all God’s children have spiritual blessings and some get temporal blessings, too, aren’t they more blessed? Well, we have to keep in mind that the temporal blessings of this life, as good and wonderful they are, are the things God gives and eventually takes away (Job 1:21). The spiritual blessings will never be taken away from us. And even though God has blessed all believers with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (objectively speaking), we do not (subjectively) experience and enjoy it all the same: it depends on the strength and maturity of our faith. Are we concerned about this as much as we are concerned about temporal blessings? Shouldn’t we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and our heavenly treasures?
The more we know God’s Word, the better we can understand God’s heart, which enables us to have a deeper communion with God through the union of our minds and hearts with God’s.