Occasionally I like to remind you that I no longer write new devotionals on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Due to an extra heavy work schedule on the weekends, I have opted to concentrate on the pulpit preaching (verse-by-verse Bible exposition). Oh, how our Nation needs to hear the Word of God!
Meanwhile, in the archives here … there is plenty of Bible Study if you’d care to investigate a bit.
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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The first few words of Psalm 39 … “I said, I will take heed to my ways.” Wherein David shows us a principle of life that made him “a man after God’s Own Heart.” (Paul quoting God in Acts 13:22.)
“I said, I will take heed to my ways.”
The opening two words, “I said,” imply that a person will have “to talk himself” (or herself) into living this kind of life, this kind of introspective life. Many will never “say” this … because they would never “do” this.
It takes resolve, decisiveness, determination, a strong will (in a good sense) to “say” (and mean it) such a thing!
Say what?
“I will take heed to my ways.”
The verb “sill take heed” translates “shamar” in Hebrew. It often means “to guard!” And in our King James Bibles it is rendered as “keep” 283 times. And “observe” another 46 times. “Preserve” 21 times and even “beware” 9 times!
Being alert spiritually!
Paul got it … “See then that ye walk CIRCUMSPECTLY, not as fools, but as wise.” Ephesians 5:15
Then, continuing with our Verse today, the noun “ways” is simply spelled “derek,” literally meaning anything from a “road” or a “path,” all the way to a “journey” … then implying “a way of life.”
How many of us are daily making mistakes and not even knowing it? NOT taking heed to our ways, not listening to the Holy Spirit? Not communing with our Saviour as we should?
Maybe we should wake up!
Maybe this is what Jude meant: “Keep yourselves in the love of God.” Jude verse 21, King James Version.
Or the Apostle Paul … “Timothy, take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine.” 1 Timothy 4:16.
This may even be bolder, yet certainly divinely inspired advice … the first part of 2 Corinthians 13:5 … “Examine yourselves.”
David is doing exactly that …
“I said, I will take heed to my ways.”
Again, how about us?
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
Rachel, wife of Jacob, named the little baby as she was dying. And she knew she was dying, apparently.
The divinely inspired historian carefully says: “And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni.” Genesis 35:18. And that name means “son of my sorrow!” Indeed that’s what this child was to those around him.
Yet, immediately, his father named him “Benjamin!” The text, same verse: “But his father called him Benjamin.” With Benjamin meaning ” son of my right hand.”
Wherein is a “parable” of sorts … not literally a parable but a symbolic teaching … a Picture of Jesus!
Jesus our Saviour!
Jesus Who is a Jew! Born out of the Sons of Jacob, Judah to be exact. The Royal Tribe, the Kingly Line!
Jesus Who was the true “Son of Sorrow.” Isaiah specifically terms Him “a Man of Sorrows,” Isaiah 53:3 is the Source. Wow!
But to the Father, His Father … Jesus is (gloriously) a Literal Benjamin! The “Son of God’s Right hand!” In the Old Testament we are told this: “The LORD (God the Father) said unto my Lord (Jesus Christ), Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” Psalm 110:1
In the New Testament, too … repeatedly … “Which he (God the Father) wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 1:20
Colossians 3:1 … “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”
Hebrews 1:3 … “Who (Jesus) being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
Hebrews 10:12 … “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.” Hallelujah!
Hebrews 12:2 … “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Yes, Jesus!
Once (especially on Calvary) the “Man of Sorrows!”
But Jesus, now, the “Son of God’s Right Hand!”
Humiliated on the Cross!
Glorified in His Father’s Presence!
And I might add … coming again as well!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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Yes, Song of Solomon … a little Book in the Old Testament that pictures Christ and His Church most poignantly. Beautiful in its purity (when viewed Biblically through the Eyes of the Holy Spirit) … the Song of Solomon is LOADED with typology. Maybe in that sense the most “type filled” (symbolic, emblematic) Book in all Scripture!
Here’s an example, with the Shulamite Lady (a picture of the Church) speaking: “Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out.” Song of Solomon 4:16
The Literature teacher whould call this inspired Line an “apostrophe.” A figure of speech whereby a person addresses an inanimate object. Here she’s talking to the wind.
Our Text again … “Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out.”
Now let’s interpret this bit of godly Poetry. Here the “wind” represents the different circumstances of life. “North” implies breezes that are cold and bitter and uninviting! “South,” warm and balmy and pleasant, maybe even fragrant too.
But in either of these two extremes, the best days or the worst days … look what occurs! The “spices” (the graces of the Holy Spirit, such as love and joy and peace and longsuffering, etc.) “flow out!”
Wow!
In hard times, she still wants to emit joy and praise and thanksgiving!
In good times too, sweet times; not forgetting God at all, but all the more diffusing the aroma of faith and meekness and brotherly kindness and virtue and all the rest of the Holy Spirit’s Produce in a maturing Christian’s life!
Why?
To witness to the lost world?
Certainly!
But even more important than that, to the Church … the last line of our Text Verse … “Let my Beloved come into His garden, and eat His pleasant fruits.” That the Beloved (the Lord Jesus) may come to us (on windy days, no matter cold or warm) and enjoy the fragrance! And taste “HIS pleasant fruits!”
Now that’s living for Jesus!
Using life’s curves (so-called good or bad) to please our Saviour!
To delight Him!
Excuse me, I just have to say it again … Wow!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
Weather warning … I hear it’s going to be a windy day, spiritually, in your life. And do remember, the Lord will drop by to enjoy your company. Make Him delighted in the fruit He sees! The “pleasant fruit” He so deeply enjoys!
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God speaks in Jeremiah 31:3 … “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”
Yes, I suspect when each of us was born again, when Jesus saved us … part of that old fashioned conviction the Holy Spirit used was centered on God’s judgment. At least I know Hell had a part in my coming to the Lord! The “fear” of that horrible place. I did NOT want to go there for all eternity!
But the things that really (and finally) brought me to Jesus … were His Sweetness, His Loveliness, His Patience, His Love! But I really need to continue … His Mercy, His Grace … and in a summary word … His LOVINGKINDNESS!
That’s what our text is saying this morning! “With lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Thank you dear Lord! This major Hebrew noun is “hesed,” partly emphasizing that one day God “came down” to me (to earth really) and “saved” my lost soul! That’s “hesed” lovingkindness! Prior to that He “came down” in the Person of His Son and died on Calvary in order to save my lost soul!
Hallelujah!
But WHY did God come down like this?
Back to our Text … “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Because of His “everlasting Love!”
What Moses could not do with his judgment and threats and harsh law … Jesus accomplished with His Love and Grace!
To Him be the Glory, our Lord Jesus Christ!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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