Three Pearls, Three Minutes, Thirty Days. (Day 12)

                                               Today’s Three Pearls

• Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but harbor deception in their hearts – v.2:Hypocrisy and double-mindedness – one heart in church on Sunday, and another heart for the rest of the week; one heart for our christian friends and another heart for our worldly friends. When we are not true to ourselves, how can we begin to be faithful to God? And when we are not faithful to our Father to whom we are yoked by creation, by salvation, and by the gift of the breath that keeps us alive; how on earth can we truly be faithful to another man who has no such power over us? Jesus confirmed David’s thoughts – ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me’ – Mk.7:6.

• Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord – v.5: Cries from the heart, those wordless groans from the oppressed and the poor in spirit who humbly acknowledge their need for a divine intervention – we are told that is the Spirit interceding for us (Rom:8:26). Many prayerful words are good but the sincerity and desperation of that heart-felt cry always stirs a fatherly response of protection from the wolves and the elements.

• And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold^c refined seven times – v.6: “Remember that it is not hasty reading, but serious meditation on holy and heavenly truths, that makes them prove sweet and profitable to the soul. It is not the mere touching of the flower by the bee that gathers honey, but her abiding for a time on the flower that draws out the sweet. It is not he that reads most, but he that meditates most, that will prove to be the choicest, sweetest, wisest, and strongest Christian.”– Thomas Brooks