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.
Faith Triumphs in Trouble Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:1-5
STANZA 18
•Such long labors can hardly be explained
Our Final VictoryTherefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. I Corinthians 15:58
A New Creation
17 “For I will create a new heaven and a new earth; the past events will not be remembered or come to mind.
18 Then be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I will create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight.
19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people. The sound of weeping and crying will no longer be heard in her. Isaiah 65:17-19
An Invitation to Abundant Life
10 For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return there without saturating the earth and making it germinate and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat,
11 so My word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do.” Isaiah 55:10-11
Laboring in full surrender to the Spirit’s work will require a firm stance no matter the consequence. Yes, the Christian’s work in the Lord “must be fully active”. The Lord Jesus Christ is our victory over “fallible human thoughts and plans”. “We can remember the promise that when God creates the new heavens and new earth, His people will enjoy the fruits of their toil, and see that their efforts were never ‘in vain’” Further, God’s Word “governs history and never returns without accomplishing God’s sovereign purposes”. (Reformation Study Bible Commentary: I Corinthians 15:58; Isaiah 55:10-11) (I Corinthians 15:58; Isaiah 65:17-19; Isaiah 55:10-11)
•Or understood by others-easy to blame!
The Discerner of Hearts24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man. John 2:24-25
Future Recovery of Wisdom
17 Is it not yet a very little while Till Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, And the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest?
18 In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book, And the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness.
19 The humble also shall increase their joy in the Lord, And the poor among men shall rejoice In the Holy One of Israel.
20 For the terrible one is brought to nothing, The scornful one is consumed, And all who watch for iniquity are cut off—
21 Who make a man an offender by a word, And lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate, And turn aside the just by empty words. Isaiah 29:17-21
The House of the Righteous Shall Stand
12The wicked covet the catch of evil men, But the root of the righteous yields fruit.
13 The wicked is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, But the righteous will come through trouble.
14 A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth, And the recompense of a man’s hands will be rendered to him.
15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise.
16 A fool’s wrath is known at once, But a prudent man covers shame. Proverbs 12:12-16
The Heritage of the Righteous and the Calamity of the Wicked
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Psalm 37:7
Even as Jesus did not yield to the thoughts of men, we must trust and rely on divine omniscience, the supernatural knowledge of God, at work within us. Godly reproof of falsehood and bearing true witness silence the foolish schemes of those who do not seek understanding but only blame: they “react too strongly and too soon, destroying relationships [in contrast with] the wise person [who] leaves the way open for reconciliation.” (Reformation Study Bible Commentary: Proverbs 12:16) No matter the circumstance, we are to rest in the Lord, wait patiently for Him, and not fret because of the man who prospers and brings wicked schemes to pass. (John 2:24-25; Isaiah 29:17-21; Proverbs 12:12-16; Psalm 37:7)
•Concealed is the work, the Spirit’s travail
A Plea for Deliverance and Forgiveness
12 What man is he that feareth the Lord? Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
13 His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.
14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
15 Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net. Psalm 25:12-15
Jesus Restores Peter17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.” John 21:17 26
Glory Only in the LordFor you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. I Corinthians 1:26-29
“The fear of the Lord is reverence and awe toward God, not life-disrupting anxiety…God will make good His threats against the wicked…those who are righteous enjoy intimacy with the Lord.” (Reformation Study Bible Commentary: Psalm 25:12 and Proverbs 3:32) In response to this intimacy, the Christian is to emulate the Good Shepherd (in both command and action) who spoke restoratively to Peter, “Feed my lambs”. Feeding God’s lambs is the intimate, unseen work of the Sprit through those who revere Him. (Psalm 25:12; John 12:17; I Corinthians 1:26-29)
•Seeing and loving that peace may avail.
The Happiness of Those Who Trust in God14 Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry; Psalm 34:14-15
16 “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil,
Tasteless Salt Is Worthless49 “For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. 50 Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.” Mark 9:49-50
The Command to Love3 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. I John 3:1-3
“When the Lord looks down from heaven, He is not looking to find those who are strong but to watch over those who fear Him and hope in Him….[Birthed from this fear and hope in the Lord is] concern for the needy…a practical demonstration of true godliness…[In demonstration of concern for the needy, we are to have salt in ourselves]…The image of salt describes true discipleship. Salt is a preservative.” (Reformation Study Bible Commentary: Psalm 33:18; Isaiah 1:17; Mark 9:50) As children of God, we are to humbly and purely “preserve” others with the confidence of Christ’s appearing as seeing and loving others avails peace.
