Life can be both a joy and a struggle. Don't know about you, but it seems to me that life is mostly struggle. Perhaps that's the way it is designed or meant to be, we were meant to want and seek out what we want. There comes the rub. What do we want? What is going on in our minds that drives us to do what we do?
Not being trite, but in the end, isn't it the universal scale that Maslow so wisely defined - survival, support, social, finally self...
As you move up the ladder of needs and wants, you do get to Self - in the end it is always about yourself. What do you really want?
Love, Joy, Peace, Forbearance, Long Suffering, Goodness, Peace?
Well, they are there - these are the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 meekness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Gal 5:24 But those belonging to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Today's meditation allows us all this because we are clean in all ways. We come to God and wash ourselves clean so that we can be filled with the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
April 6
THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE CLEANSED SOUL
"Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin."-- Psa_51:2.
"Blessed are they that wash their robes."-- Rev_22:14 (R.V.)
IN THE last chapter of the Book of Revelation there is a very interesting change from the Authorized to the Revised Version, which accentuates a line of thought which cannot be too often emphasized. The A.V. reads: "Blessed are they that keep His commandments, that they may have the right to the Tree of Life." The R.V. reads: "Blessed are they that wash their robes." May we not be thankful that this is the condition, rather than the absolute keeping of His commandments, which might induce legalism and Pharisaism into our character and experience. We are very conscious of our sin day by day, but as we wash our robes and make them white through the Blood of the Lamb, we may approach the Tree of Life and eat of its fruit.
There are two other references to the Tree of Life in this wonderful chapter. In Rev_22:2, we are told that it yields each month the food appropriate for the month; in Rev_22:19, we learn that each of us has a distinct and individual part in that tree. Its leaves are for our healing, and its fruit is suited to every phase of human experience. The Tree of Life was originally planted in Paradise together with the Tree of Knowledge (Gen_2:9). As the latter fed the soul-life of our first parents, with knowledge of good and evil, so the former stood for the life of the spirit nurtured and fed by the Spirit of God.
When we learn of its monthly yield, are we not reminded that whatever each passing experience of human life may require, it will be met out of the fullness of the Divine supplies. January days with their new resolves and hopes! February days with storms and frosts! May days with the flowers of Hope! June days with warmth and light. September days of fruition! December days of sickness or old age! But whatever month or day there is always a supply of adequate and suitable grace to be obtained from the fellowship of our dear Lord. He is the completement of every need, and perhaps we are led through these varying experiences in order to give the opportunity of learning phases and utilizing resources in our Saviour, of which, otherwise, we should have known nothing.
PRAYER
Give us grace, O Lord, to come to Thee for daily cleansing, and for all our needs in the various circumstances through which we are called to pass, that by our holy living we may glorify Thee in our daily life. AMEN.
May you have a blessed day!
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