Sunday, November 16, 2013
Breathing Comfort
Hear in the Midwest it is rainy and gray outside. Leaves of many colors are on the ground and in the trees. There was a time when these days made me feel saddened somehow. Today is different. Today as I looked upon the weather outside from my kitchen table, I read a portion of Psalms 119 and was comforted.
Psalms 119:CAPH
81 My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.
82 Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?
83 For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes.
84 How many are the days of thy servant? when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?
85 The proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thy law.
86 All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.
87 They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts.
88 Quicken me after thy lovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth.
In verse 81 the psalmist says that his very being is weakening waiting for rescue (salvation in the Hebrew). But he then says he has patience (hope) in God’s word, which here in the Hebrew is something that has been spoken. Verse 82 says that what he sees and sees with is coming to an end for what God has said, and responds in saying when will You comfort me. This is an interesting passage because it shows a relationship between man and the creation, and how both need to have the manifestation of the things that God has spoken. I believe he is referring to what God promised to Moses, and also what God promised through Moses and others throughout the Old Testament. The rest of these verses seem to say that same thing as the psalmist keeps coming back to telling God that he has done his best to follow after the commandments and precepts (decrees) of God. In verses 84-86 he asks for God to bring judgement on those that have wrongfully persecuted him and are trying to destroy him. It sounds as if the psalmist is in tough times. In the last verse here, verse 88, he asks to be quickened (made alive) after God’s lovingkindness and that as a result the psalmist will keep the testimonies of all that has proceeded from the mouth of God. There is an interresting connection here to the ministry of the Messiah, found in the meaning in Hebrew of the word comfort. Here that word means to breathe hard. Jesus does that for us, as we saw after His resurrection when He spoke to the disciples.
John 21:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
Jesus (Yeshua) breathed upon them and they received the Holy Spirit. Later at Shevuot (Pentecost) the Comforter came to the, the Holy Spirit, in which they were baptized. It seems Jesus (Yeshua) is saying that He has given us the power to be comforted, and that we through our speaking can deliver us and those around us. Today, I am comforted knowing that God is on my side, and He is our great Deliver, coming to our rescue.
Prayer
Father, we praise and exalt You, for truly You alone are God. We ask today that You deliver us according to what You have spoken. We agree with You that those that persecute us are to be cast off, and that You alone will raise us up. We praise You and thank You, eagerly waiting to see the deliverance You are bringing. In Yeshua’s (Jesus’) name. Amen.