27 January 2011

27 January 2011

Psalm 50; Isa. 49:13-23; Gal. 3:1-14; Mark 6:30-46

The Lord promises reversal of fortune for Israel, that she will throw off her bereavement and will enjoy the blessing of God. They are now enduring the judgment of God against them but His promise is that this is not final. The Lord compares Himself to a mother and asks is it possible for her to forget her children. The nation is even more dear to Him than this, they are engraved on the palms of His hands, it is impossible to forget them. When we read these words we should recall the cross, we are literally engraved on the palms of the hands of God. His love was so great that He chose to symbolize that love, reveal this prophecy was more than a nice image. Where is the mark in our flesh, in the circumcision of our hearts, we bear our love for Him in our hearts aflame with love for Him.

Bountiful provision is the promise in the Isaiah passage, and in the feeding of the 5000 we see in Jesus that is the rule of the day. The same Lord who provided for the nation in the wilderness for forty years is now here among them and providing for them in the same way. They were in “a desolate place” where no means of providing for the people existed and yet there was abundance. All had as much as they wanted and several basketfuls were left over. The disciples know that this is the Lord’s doing, much as the turning of water into wine at Cana in Galilee in John 2. We get a behind the scenes glimpse into the conversation and so we know that their faith was not adequate to the task, they were still looking to natural solutions. It was Jesus’ compassion on the people that ruled the day, now as always.

Faith is the key. Paul knows whereof he speaks. So long as he persecuted the church for the sake of the law he was fighting against God Himself. The Gospel has always been that the just shall live by faith. Abraham was the father of faith, the promises came through him not through the law. Abraham shows us how to walk in faith humbly before our God, following where He leads and trusting Him always. Legalism is always lurking at the door, enticing us to come follow it and have security because then we know we have done as we were told. We are called to walk by the Spirit of God, in freedom. Does that mean we will have license to do whatever we please? No, it means that He will set His Spirit within us to will and desire to do what His will, in perfect compliance with the law itself. We can know it is the Spirit leading us because we have the Word of God to tell us what His will for our lives is. When we learn to ride a bicycle we begin with training wheels and then as we develop that innate sense of balance we take those wheels off and ride without them but the principles remain the same.

Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and perform your vows to the Most High,
and call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.