August 16

You have ascended on high; You have led captives away. You have received gifts from men, even from the rebellious, that the LORD God may dwell there. — Ps 68:18 BSB

How painful it is to feel rebellion in our hearts! For someone whose conscience is tender to the fear of God, few things are worse than experiencing rebellion—whether it’s against God’s providence, His teachings, or the lack of more of His light and presence in our lives. We know that God cannot make a mistake in any of His dealings, yet we still find ourselves rebelling against Him at times. The smallest thing can stir up this rebellion—it doesn’t take a storm to awaken it. Even the slightest breeze can cause our hearts to swell with rebellious thoughts.

But what a mercy it is that our ascended Mediator, Jesus, has received gifts for us! It’s not our own patience, meekness, or good temper that brings down grace into our hearts. All the gifts and graces of the Spirit have been stored up in Christ, and they are given to us because we have a saving interest in His blood and righteousness.

The Lord teaches us this. If we were always patient, submissive, and holy, never harassed by the devil or the workings of our own sinful nature, we might begin to think that we had some power to please God on our own. But through painful experiences, we learn how depraved and rebellious our hearts really are. Then, when the Lord lets down a little mercy and grace into our souls, we know where it comes from. We learn to despise our own sinfulness and bless His holy name for His mercy.