Taste and See
Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength. "Do not be afraid, O man highly esteemed," he said. "Peace! Be strong now; be strong." When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, "Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength." Daniel 10:18-19
It's hard to put my finger on why this passage touched me so this morning. Perhaps it's simply the reminder that what God wills, He also enables and brings to pass. These words of the Lord aren't just a command, they are an effective pronouncement. Sort of like that other pronouncement:
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. Mark 4:39
or, this one, which comes to mind:
While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." Luke 24:36
So sure are these pronouncements that they go beyond mere well-wishing-- they have already happened. We can act on them. When He tells me to be strong, I must behave as though the strength is already there, for He does not tell me to do what there is no ability to do. When He tells me, "Peace be unto you", that peace is there and available. I must make use of it. He is telling me what is on my plate, and to eat.
Oh Lord above, help me in faith to taste and see that You are all goodness, life and strength! Help me to see all that is on my plate, and do what you tell me to do.
It's hard to put my finger on why this passage touched me so this morning. Perhaps it's simply the reminder that what God wills, He also enables and brings to pass. These words of the Lord aren't just a command, they are an effective pronouncement. Sort of like that other pronouncement:
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. Mark 4:39
or, this one, which comes to mind:
While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." Luke 24:36
So sure are these pronouncements that they go beyond mere well-wishing-- they have already happened. We can act on them. When He tells me to be strong, I must behave as though the strength is already there, for He does not tell me to do what there is no ability to do. When He tells me, "Peace be unto you", that peace is there and available. I must make use of it. He is telling me what is on my plate, and to eat.
Oh Lord above, help me in faith to taste and see that You are all goodness, life and strength! Help me to see all that is on my plate, and do what you tell me to do.
posted by craigellachie at 8:45 AM
1 Comments:
The first passage reminds me of this scene in Prince Caspian:
Lucy buried her head in his mane to hide from his face. But there must have been magic in his mane. She could feel lion-strength going into her. Quite suddenly she sat up.
"I'm sorry, Aslan," she said. "I'm ready now."
"Now you are a lioness," said Aslan. "And now all Narnia will be renewed.
Or of the time he tells her, "Courage, dear heart."
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