“Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death—and was heard in that He feared—though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered.  And, being made perfect, He became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him.”

Hebrews 5:7-9

Never discount, decry or despise the difficulties you’re going through—for the Lord is defining and refining you through them (I Pet. 1:6-7).

None of us can understand the Trinity; neither can we understand the Virgin Birth, the Incarnation, Jesus’ Substitutionary Atonement, etc.  But, with childlike faith we accept them as so and continue lying quietly on the Potter’s Wheel as He molds and makes us after His Will (Jer. 18:1-6).

In trying to explain the Virgin Birth, there are those who say Jesus’ lack of an earthly father kept Him from receiving Adam’s sin nature; however, they forget that the female’s gender is determined by the male’s X-chromosome, which would also transfer the sin nature to her.

Likewise, if Jesus had not received the sin nature, He could not have been “tempted in every way we are” (Heb. 4:14-16)—for that basically would have made Him immune or impervious to sin.

But, such was not the case, Pilgrim.

And, today’s Manna explicitly reminds us of that:

“Though He were a Son, yet LEARNED He obedience by the things WHICH HE SUFFERED”—or, just because He was God’s “only-begotten Son,” He still had to “grow in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man” (Lk. 2:52) even as we do.  And, it was during His times of “suffering”. . .difficulties. . .trials. . .pressures. . .heartaches and headaches, etc., that He was “made perfect (Grk. ‘teleioo’—‘to complete, accomplish, consummate, consecrate, fulfill, come of full age, etc.’),” i.e., “come to maturity” in every way.

Simply put, He didn’t have an inside track.  No “free pass to Go.”

No, it was through His “fiery furnace” experiences—those times of being “despised and rejected”. . .knowing it was “His own Father Who smote and afflicted Him. . .bruised Him. . . laid on Him the iniquity of us all. . .and it pleased Him to do so” (Is. 53:3-10). . .that He “learned obedience (Grk. ‘hupakeo’—‘attentive hearkening, compliance, submission, to heed, conform to authority, etc.’).”

And, it was through that obedience—i.e., “willing surrender”—that He “was made perfect/mature in every way.”

Could it be, dear Pilgrim, that the Lord is doing the same in your life right now?  Could it be those difficulties in relationship. . .pressures at work. . .health issues, etc., are being used by God to further transform you into Christ-likeness?  Remember:  The word “chastening” doesn’t just mean “the rod of discipline;” it’s also a means “to teach and train,” which produces in us “holiness and the peaceable fruit of righteousness” (Heb. 12:10-11).  Trust Him.

By Tom Smith Morning Manna Dated January 28, 2011

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