Psalm 85: "7 Show us Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord,
and grant us Your salvation.
8 I will listen [with expectancy] to what God the Lord will say,
for He will speak peace to His people, to His saints (those who are in right
standing with Him)--but let them not turn again to [self-confident] folly.
9 Surely His salvation is near to those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him,
[and is ready to be appropriated] that [the manifest presence of God, His]
glory may tabernacle and abide in our land.
10 Mercy and loving-kindness and truth have met together;
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11 Truth shall spring up from the earth, and righteousness
shall look down from heaven
12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before Him and shall make His footsteps
a way in which to walk."
Matthew Henry says: In compassion to us, when Christ our Intercessor has stood before You, You have turned away Your anger. When we are reconciled to God, then, and not till then, we may expect the comfort of His being reconciled to us. He shows mercy to those to whom He grants salvation; for salvation is of mere mercy...
Interesting thought...
Is He obligated to apprehend us with His mercy (so we don't get what we deserve)? OR Is He still God (love) if He allows a person's heart to pursue there natural inclinations?
As Americans we have such a challenge with entitlement...even in the church...
As a pastor, I can tell you that this is indeed true...yet God is wanting us to mature and grow forward...
To grow specifically in our understanding of Him...
to know Him...
know Him intimately...
...know - 15 meanings in the Word....
ginosko...to perceive and see, find out and discern
to understand completely
to know by experience
the thought of connection or union (as a husband & wife)
epiginosko...fully perceive
fully persuaded
knowing full well
Jhn 8:32,"you shall know the truth," ginosko is used, whereas in 1Ti 4:3, "them that believe and know the truth," epiginosko lays stress on participation in the truth.
1Cr 13:12, "now I know in part (ginosko); but then shall I know (piginosko) even as also I have been known (epiginosko),"
"a knowledge which perfectly unites the subject with the object;
epignosis...expressing a fuller or a full "knowledge,"
a greater participation by the "knower" in the object "known,"
This is what HE DESIRES FOR US...that He would be so intimately known by us that we would be fully persuaded and utterly convinced of His love and faithfulness to us...
In this place, where we "know Him"...
we are free---- from all fear, anger, jealousies, resentments,
value judgments, comparisons, suspicions,
offenses, etc...
we are free to live in the Spirit...
to live in His rest and tranquility...
to live in His presence with joy
Isaiah 30:15" in quietness and in [trusting] confidence shall be your strength."
God seeks the pleasure of our company and
desires us to live in that place forever...
Give yourself to Him and He will give Himself to you... selah
