by Wade E Taylor
“Deep calls to deep. At the noise of Your waterspouts, all Your waves and Your billows are gone over me.” Psalm 42:7
There is an eternal desire within our Creator that ever seeks for satisfaction.
Within each of us is a created “deep” (spiritual capacity and ability) that is capable of responding to this need that is within our Lord.
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20
If we will become quiet and listen, we will hear this “Deep” desire that is within the Lord, as He knocks on the door of our spirit, seeking a satisfaction that can be found in no other way than our hearing and responding to this “Deep that is calling to the deep within us.”
The “waterspout” tells us that the attention of the Lord is now toward us (all Your waves and billows are gone over me), as if everything that He desires is gathered together within the depths of our being, and we are lifted into a higher realm of divine activity with Him.
Once we have unconditionally placed the totality of our being in the Lord’s hands, He not only will take a singular interest in us (His approbation resting upon us), but He will convict us when we come short of His desire for us, or if we begin to stray, that He might draw us yet closer to Himself. This is a particularly important result of our spending quality time with Him.
“For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” Hebrews 12:6
It is of utmost importance for us to understand that this “convicting presence” will always lead us upward toward a spiritually perceptive and active relationship with Jesus. In contrast, condemnation is from the enemy and will always lead us away from the Lord, downward toward death. We cannot lose if we will respond and submit ourselves to His dealings.
There have been times when I felt this convicting disturbance and misread it. Finally, I became aware of what was happening, and I turned to the Lord, and there He was, the “Divine Disturber,” waiting for my response.
“For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me …I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity have I not hidden. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord; and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.” Psalm 32:4, 5
When David recognized the source of the convicting presence that he was experiencing and then repented, the Lord met him in a profound way. The ultimate goal of this convicting work of the Lord is to turn our hearts singularly toward Him, so he will be in control of the totality of our being, and of all that pertains to us.
“…All Your waves and Your billows are gone over me.” Psalm 42:7
Thus, the result of the chastening of the “Divine Disturber” is the blessing of “Divine Favor” manifestly resting upon our lives. This speaks of the Lord’s singular attention toward us, as though we were the only person in the universe. This is difficult to understand, but marvelous to experience.
“You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall compass me about with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go: I will guide you with My eye.” Psalm 32:7-8
This “open reward,” or divine activity in our behalf (His approbation and presence resting upon us) is happening as a result of our repentance and cooperation with His chastening hand upon us, which is turning us toward the “door” that will lead us into the place of His abiding presence.
“But you, when you pray, enter into your closet, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father which is in secret; and your Father which sees in secret shall reward you openly.” Matthew 6:6
This experience of His “approbation” (divine favor) resting upon us, is available to each one of us, if we will turn aside to spend quality time with Him, “waiting upon Him.” In the passage above, the word “closet” is carefully chosen, for we all have closets in our homes that are usually full. This means that an effort is required on our part to make room, so we might be alone with the Lord. Also, a closet has no windows so we will not easily be distracted.
When a young man “falls in love,” the object of his love becomes singular. All other women take on a lesser role in his interest. He has a “single eye” toward one young lady. This level of relationship is further cultivated and developed as they come to personally know each other. Notice that the Lord has committed Himself to respond to the expression of our love toward Him.
“I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me… That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.” Proverbs 8:17, 21
On the human level, our ability to love is limited and fickle. But no matter how many reasons we may have as to why Jesus might not be interested in us, if we will consistently express to Him our love for Him, He will respond and take the initiative in bringing about changes within us.
There are no exceptions to this experience of His approbation resting upon us; it simply requires of us a repentant heart and the continuing expression of our love for Him.
Although these roles of God as being a “disturber,” and as being One who can be cultivated to become our “personal friend” may seem to be opposites, they are parallels which are very closely related. There are many things or relationships within our life experience that could hinder this higher level of communion with our Lord, which must be either dealt with or removed by Him.
Concerning these, the Lord does not harshly deal with us. Rather, He corrects or chastens us only to the extent that is necessary to lift our attention from the earthly to the heavenly.
“Does the plowman plow all day to sow? Does he open and break the clods of his ground? When he has made plain the face thereof, does he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cumin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rye in their place?” Isaiah 28:24-25
The plowman only does that which is necessary to prepare the soil to receive the seed, so the harvest might be abundant. So also, the Lord’s interest is in the quality of our relationship with Him. Therefore, His chastening is limited to this purpose, and His corrective action continues only until the desired response is obtained.