Psalm 139:13-17 “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works: and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.”
Luke 15:14-16 “And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in the land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed the swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat; and no man gave unto him.”
Philippians 3:8 “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.”
Seventeenth century puritan George Swinnock wrote these powerful words regarding our perspective if we would truly understand the awesome holy nature of our Lord and our Creator:
“What a poor view you would now have of the beggarly portion that you now admire! What dung, what dog’s meat would the world be to you in comparison with God! You would leave the swine of earthly comforts, and the foolish children of disobedience who are paddling in the gutter of sensual waters, that you might have your portion among God’s children and your heritage among His chosen ones. All your love would be too little, and no labor too great for such an inestimable portion. Lord, let me partake of your special mercy. Though others feed on husks, give me this bread of life. May you be the portion of my cup. Whatsoever You deny me, or howsoever You deal with me, give me Yourself, and it shall be enough. You are the true paradise of all pleasure, a living fountain of happiness, and the original and exact pattern of all perfections.”
May we cease admiring the beggarly portions that we are so fixated on. Instead, may we realize that we are fearfully and wonderfully made by a Creator who provides the true paradise of all pleasure, a living fountain of happiness, and the original and exact pattern of all perfections.
PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERICAN CHRISTIANS WOULD FIX OUR EYES FIRMLY ON OUR MARVELOUS GOD. Turn from beggarly portions to inestimable portions instead!
ADMIN: The Swinnock quote came from “Voices from the Past: Puritan Devotional Readings” edited by Richard Rushing.
