Drippings from the Honeycomb
More to be desired are [the rules of the Lord] than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. (Psalm 19:10)
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These famous words come in the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus is addressing worry (litt. To be divided between two opinions vs. a singular trust in the Lord). If we trust and seek Him and His Kingdom and righteousness, we’ll have no reason to worry and can trust the promise of the Lord to provide. When Jesus admonishes to ‘Seek Ye First’ He is commanding us in something foundational, which in my experience, is a lesson that perennially speaks volumes to the non-Christian and Christian alike. What does it mean to seek? It means to intently strive or search for something with the intent of finding it (picture someone seeking for the perfect house to buy). The world seeks advancement, prestige, material things, wisdom, religious favour, relationships, etc. Jesus calls us to seek something even greater. What does it mean to seek ye first? Something that is first occupies the first place, is a priority of importance (picture someone with OCD having to have a clean car). Philosophy, politics, empire, family life and certain virtues are all things that people put first, and so seek. People don’t only seek (and so worry) about food and clothing but all kinds of bigger things in life too. But what should we seek first? Jesus identified two things: His Kingdom and His Righteousness. This applies differently to unbelievers (crowd- Mt 5:1) and believers (disciples- Mt 5:1). Unbelievers Unbelievers are naturally separated from God, His enemies and outside of His Kingdom because of their unrighteousness. They need righteousness and entry into the Kingdom more than anything else. By renouncing the world and repenting of their sin and turning to and trusting in Christ, the unbeliever is counted just or righteous by faith. They are declared legally right with God and given the gift of the Spirit to actually impart righteousness in their daily living. Upon being born anew they are adopted into God’s family, or brought into God’s Kingdom. What a glorious salvation to be transferred from the kingdom of darkness and brought into the Kingdom of His glorious light! If we seek and obtain these two things, food and clothing will pail in comparison and, by faith, be provided. It is a wonderful irony. Believers However, believers ought to seek first God’s Kingdom and righteousness but in a different sense. We ought to pursue personal righteousness by taking hold of the means of grace (prayer, ordinances, Lord’s Day, Scripture, fellowship and service, etc) and reliance upon the Spirit. This is how we grow in righteousness and become more like Christ. We ought also to seek His Kingdom, not entrance into it but its expansion. We do this through the means of course but more overtly through fulfilling the Great Commission, being members and serving in the local church’s ministries, personal evangelism, supporting foreign missionaries, etc. If we seek these two things as believer’s the Lord we can be assured that the Lord will take care of our other concerns. We don’t simply seek salvation from the penalty of sin and then stop seeking after our conversion. We go on seeking! Seek ye first can be helpfully demonstrated in this illustration:
May this be a lesson to us, seek ye first the Kingdom of God!  Jacob’s pursuit for a wife in Gen 28–29 is instructive for those Christian singles lawfully seeking a spouse to be married to. You can rid most worldly advice such as ‘finding the one,’ etc.
In providence look for:
Jacob was not to marry the cursed Canaanites but was instructed to marry within his close biological family (who were also pagans but perhaps not as bad). From a budding principle in these early chapters of Genesis come later commands such as Dt 7:3 and 1 Cor 7, which succinctly instructs us to ‘marry in the Lord.’ Resolve before the test of circumstances to marry in the Lord. Automatically dismiss any potential non-Christian candidate. Christian marriage is hard enough. Marrying an unbeliever will only add continual strain upon your marriage (and you’ll break God’s law). Further, there are also two types of marriages (the latter a reaction against the former): marriages of the head and of the heart. Rachel encourages us to seek both.
Prospective spouses ought not only pass the heart test but the head. Some pragmatic questions will help us partner with the best possible spouse:
L’amour! It is not wrong to be physically and relationally attracted to your prospective spouse, what we often call ‘falling in love.’ Internal and external beauty is an enjoyable part of life. It draws us and holds us fast to one another. We should find our spouse attractive and love spending time with them. However, love is not an emotion but an action, a choice (which is why you can grow to love). Just as it would be cold to only marry because of the head it is foolish to only marry because of the heart (i.e. is it love or lust?). Remember, there is no perfect spouse and you are not perfect, but if you follow these three principles and depend upon God’s grace in marriage you will not go wrong and learn to live a happy and content life.  Joy. It is one of the greatest thing that our world desires. Joy is deeper than happiness and more enduring than pleasure. These are fleeting while joy is abiding. What is joy? How do we find it? Here are 7 simple ways the Bible guarantees you will find joy and keep it:
2. Remember to Worship When we focus on self (pride) our lives want joy. Joy comes from depending on God, putting Him and others first. The highest act of humility is worship. When we praise God for how great He is our gaze is lifted from self to heaven, from darkness to light. Such joy is magnified when we join others in the command of public worship. Music is also good medicine to a weary soul. I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD!” (Psalm 122:1) 3. Don’t Walk Alone Christianity is personal but not private; Christians are part of the body and meant to support each other. How lonely it is to live for and by oneself. How depressing it is to have no one to encourage you. By design, God gave us the Church—His representative family on earth—in part at least, so our joy might be full. When we are active members of the Church we’ll have many brothers and sisters to share life with us. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. (Romans 12:15) 4. Walk in Obedience When we disobey the King we can only expect to live in guilt and shame and fear. However, when we obey Him, when we do good, it will be our joy. There is blessing in knowing we’re doing right, that we’re walking the way the King desires, the way we were created to live. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. (John 15:10-11, cf. 1 John 5:3; Ps 119:2). 5. Enjoy the Small Things Life can become monotonous, even hard at times. However, rather than despair the Lord commands us to take advantage of the small things in life: that sunset, a good meal, birds at the feeder, time with family, a job well done. Let’s not forget to count our small blessings and enjoy them one by one. The Lord uses these things to bring us joy. And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 8:15, c.f. 2:24) 6. Be Content It is easy to slip into the prideful thought that we deserve X lot in life or that God’s providence in any given situation isn’t best for us. Contentment frees us from self-pity to find joy in every situation. Whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul. (Hymn “It is Well”) 7. Hope In the Future This world is a dark place and we experience the effects of sin. Even as we do all of the above in faith, we can lose hope and without hope there is no joy. However, the believer has been promised a day free from the presence of sin when Jesus returns. This hope breathes joy into our darkness. According to His promise we are expecting new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:13) So may your joy be complete by realizing His grace and walking in it. Power- the ability to do something. Gangs have power, power of force or coercion. Gangs have power to take things from you but not the authority to do it.
Authority- the right to do something. By-Law officers have authority, authority to issue tickets, but not the power to enforce the payment of those tickets. In Jesus’ day the religious leaders had power but they lacked authority because most of what they did and taught rested not on the Word of God but their traditions (Mk 7:7). When Jesus spoke as God’s Son and from His Word everyone was amazed at the authority by which He did so. That authority had a positive effect. For example when Jesus finished the Sermon on the Mount it says: 28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. (Mt 7:28–29) Likewise in Mark when Jesus had begun His ministry it says: 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. (Mk 1:22) In Acts when the authoritative Word went forth the Church grew (e.g. Acts 6:7 and others in Acts). Carried forth by the Spirit it also had power. We should take courage from this thread in Scripture. Politicians, media, interest groups, squeaky wheels in our community, spiritual opponents all often wield great power yet want authority. Yet Christ has given authority (His Great Commission) and power (His Word & Spirit) to His Church. As ambassadors of Christ’s Church Christians can use the “living and active” (Heb 4:12) Word of God to great effect. When we teach its truths, cite it, quote it, counsel from it, write it, share it—because our culture speaks from power but not authority—people will be astonished by the authority by which we speak. So as the world seeks to coerce believers into silence from speaking the truth, let us remember that as we trust God’s Word we will speak with power and authority, which will bear much fruit. |
