Nougat 14

Yehay! It’s Valentine’s Day

Blessings to you, I pray

Here’s a quick question for us:

When we’re tired, or at our lowest, what is one thing someone could do for us as an act of love?

I’m not sure what your answers will be, but as I await your response, consider Today’s Holy Nougat as mine.

Psalms 23:3 NIV

[3] he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

Uncommon Love B

As this is from one of the most well-known and well loved psalms, I’m assuming most of us have recited these words before. For many of us, they have comforted us in crises, perhaps seen us through some rough patches. But have we thought about God’s reviving and leading us as acts of love?

What we see the describing here is someone who is so devoted that the person knows when and what kind of refreshment is needed. Yet, it is so easy for us all to take that devotion for granted.

Self-Check

Do we ever pause to take stock of how much God loves us?

Application

In Hebrew, the English transliteration for ‘refreshes’ is shub, meaning, ‘turn back’, ‘revive’, or ‘return’. There are several other possible meanings, but in the context of the psalm, the sense is that of a systems reset. When we are tired or at our lowest, the psalmist tells us that God offers us that well-needed spa day.

Isn’t that what Y’shua also promised in John 10:9-11, when He assured us that through Him we find pasture, because He is our Good Shepherd Who would even die for us? That is uncommon love. Siblings, we have a lover Who is literally True Love become human. He is our standard of love for all time.

This isn’t only about a mental spa day, siblings. Although we may also have need of that. There is obviously a link between the restoration or revival of our souls and our journey in the path of righteousness. In His love for us, Y’shua sees when weariness impacts our righteousness and intervenes. Likewise, when we stray, as we often do, our Good Shepherd assures us in Matthew 18 and Luke 15 that He will seek us out and return us to the sheepfold. That’s restoration to righteousness in action right there.

There’s something else we should know about this uncommon love of God. God’s love picks us up out of the horrible pit and the mire, and places us on the Rock that is higher than all else (see Psalm 40:2). The action is ongoing, as only our IAM God can be.

In our past, God revived our souls.

In our present, God still revives us.

In the future, God will revive us

Hallelujah.

What an awesome loving God!

So, knowing God’s uncommon love as we do, what is our love response? Shall we continue to take it for granted, or do we shower God with our love today and always? The choice is ours. I pray it is in God’s favour.

Point to Ponder

If God, our Good Shepherd, leads us into righteousness while reviving us, should our response in love include obedience and submission?

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May all we seek be found in Christ