Through the Refining Fires of Affliction to the New Life of Spiritual Spring:
REST, VESSEL. ~ “Requies, Vas.” ~ A VESSEL RESTS.
Has God Our Sovereign Savior allowed unfathomable pain in your life beyond human utterance? If so, take refuge in His paradoxical, great divine work of love and grace. When fiery afflictions come, He is our only hiding place.
Bear and Share Burdens Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:1-4
STANZA 14
•Not every ill the same balm will relieve.
The Prophet Mourns for the People 21For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt. I am mourning; Astonishment has taken hold of me. 22 Is there no balm in Gilead, Is there no physician there? Why then is there no recovery For the health of the daughter of my people? Jeremiah 8:21-22
The Safety of the Faithful Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer. Psalm 4:1
“The desire for a physician is an appeal to God as such; He will come at the right time in the person of Christ, the Great Physician.” (Reformation Study Bible Commentary: Jeremiah 8:22). (Jeremiah 8:21-22; Psalm 4:1)
•Discern first the wound, then the remedy
Thankfulness and Prayer9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11
“Christian belief (“knowledge and all discernment”) comes to expression in Christian love and in behavior that is [pure and blameless]. The absence of love shows that supposed knowledge is worthless, andlove is itself knowledge of the deepest kind.” (Reformation Study Bible Commentary: Philippians 1:9-10)
•Must ever so carefully be applied:
Our Compassionate High Priest14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16
The Great Physician is also our Great High Priest who sympathizes with our weaknesses; thus, we may boldly approach His throne of grace for application of His righteous healing balm to relieve every ill. (Hebrews 4:14-16)
•No more, no less than what needs be prescribed.
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
The Cheerful Giver 6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 9 As it is written:
“He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.”
10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 13 while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, 14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:6-14)
God’s abundant riches supply the justly needed prescriptions, the justly needed remedies for those who are in Christ Jesus. As laborers in His fields: “Those who give generously [in the spiritual realm] will reap abundantly for the kingdom. What is given is never lost; it is sown…eager giving deepens one’s experience of God’s grace…Such ‘riches’ enable believers to sow even more in generosity toward others, ‘yielding fruits of your righteousness’.” (Reformation Study Bible Commentary: 2 Corinthians 9:6, 10, and 11) (Philippians 4:19; 2 Corinthians 9:6-14)
