Have you ever flown somewhere on an airline that just opened the door and let everyone go in and choose their seats? No assigned seats. So the biggest, strongest and fastest can get to the bestest seats first.
Have you ever ridden a bus or train, where it was mostly full, and the empty seats were all next to someone? You had to choose who looked like the best candidate to sit next to, and ask permission, out of courtesy.
May I have this seat? May I sit here?
First, we need to look, and choose WITH WHOM we should sit on this path of life.
Ps 1:1 – Blessed is the man that walketh not, standeth not…SITTETH NOT in the seat of the scornful.
NLT says it this way:
Ps 1:1 NLT
Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.
New International says “sit in the seat of mockers”
King David proclaimed his choice:
Ps 26:4-5 I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites;
I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked.
Choices determine the outcome:
Ps 107:10-11 Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains,
for they had rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High.
1 Cor 15:33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
Prov 23:1-3 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what [is] before thee: And put a knife to thy throat, if thou [be] a man given to appetite. Be not desirous of his dainties: for they [are] deceitful meat.
Next, we have to know WHERE to sit down!
I have painted many rooms…and often, while I’m painting one wall, I will choose to step back, and check it out, to make sure I have gotten everything covered. Many times, I am so caught up with the wall I am working on, that as I back up, I lean against the previous wall, AND IT WAS STILL WET! For this reason, I have MANY painting clothes, which bear many of the colors of our homes! I did not check to see where I was sitting into!
Luke 14:8(-11) When thou art bidden of any [man] to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;
10-11 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Col 3:1-3 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Eph 2:5-6 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:
This combines the where with the whom. The permission is granted through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, saved by grace! Asking Jesus to be your Lord and Savior is like asking “May I sit in this seat next to you for eternity?”
Then, we have to know WHY.
Sitting has various reasons.
- Rest – after a long walk or standing day, one would like to sit down to rest
- Judgement – sit back to contemplate the direction being taken
- Finished – the job is complete, sit and take in the joy of the work
- Reward – which could also be rest – the reward of hard work is rest
REST –
When God Almighty was finished creating the universe, He rested. He looked back at all He’d created, and declared “It is good.” His reward was the fellowship with Adam and Eve in the Garden. (Gen1,2&3)
There are many verses about God sitting on His throne…Is 40:22; Ps 29:10, Ps 47:8, Ps 99:1 and Is 6 describes the Lord on His throne. I like this description:
Rev 4:2-4 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and [one] sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and [there was] a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne [were] four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
Rev 4:10-11 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
This is rest – their lives are over, they are sitting in the heavenlies with GOD Almighty, worshiping at the throne! God ordained rest – by resting on the 7th day. It is the third commandment –
Ex 20:8-11 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates: For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. (Ex 31:12-18)
But, there is no benefit to sitting around…doing nothing….
Prov 6:6 – Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
Prov 6:10-11 [Yet] a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
Prov 20:4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; [therefore] shall he beg in harvest, and [have] nothing.
Rest, because of walking the walk, is a blessing from God:
Ecc 5:12 The sleep of a labouring man [is] sweet, whether he eat little or much:
JUDGEMENT –
When God was done with creation, He “sat back” and judged it. We have the responsibility to sit back, and judge our own walks.
Ps 139: 23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if [there be any] wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
God’s Throne is for Judgement:
Jer 17:10 I the LORD search the heart, [I] try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, [and] according to the fruit of his doings.
Mal 3:1-3Behold, I will send my messenger,………….And he shall sit [as] a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.
Matt 25:31-45 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth [his] sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Matt 25:46And these(goats – on the left) shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Matt 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.(lk 22:69)
Micah 4:1-3
FINISHED –
When God was finished creating the universe, He rested. Since He has a throne, we can assume that He ‘sat’ down.
2 Chronicles 18:18 Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the LORD; I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and [on] his left.
When Jesus finished his work here on earth – His words to the Phaisees, as He was looking forward to the other side of the cross were:
Matt 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
When we have finished our work…whether daily, weekly, monthly or for our life…we can sit when it’s finished. The Glorious Finish will be when this earth is finsihed.
Micah 4:4-5 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make [them] afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken [it]. For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.
If there is sitting, when the final regeneration is done…then we know that there is sitting when we finish any job…to reflect, and prepare for the next task. This life is really a HUGE job interview for the new world created after this sin struggling creation is finished:
Matt 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
(Luke 22:30, 1 Cor 6:2, Rev 3:21, Matt 8:11)
REWARD-
When I finish a painting…well, when I quit doctoring up a painting and say I’m done…I sit and look at it. If I’m standing…I’m still working on it. If I’m moving around, I probably still have a brush in my hand. But, when I feel that I’ve have done all that I can do on this particular painting…I sit. I look at it. The reward is the knowing I’ve done all that I can do to create this painting. And, then, I am rewarded by the folks that enjoy it..sometimes enough to pay for it. The joy on their faces is the reward. I like to sit and watch them enjoy the painting when they first get it. Their joy is my reward.
God has joy as a reward…but, I’m talking about sitting as a reward. As a reward for the finishing the walk with HIM…there are GREAT rewards!
Luke 12:37 Blessed [are] those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Psalm 23
THE LORD is MY Shepherd – I shall not want. – WITH WHOM I SIT
HE MAKETH ME to lie down in green pastures –
HE LEADETH ME beside still waters. – WHERE I SIT
HE RESTORES MY SOUL. – WHY I SIT
HE LEADETH ME in paths of righteousness for HIS name sake. – THIS IS MY PATH
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:
FOR THOU ART WITH ME!
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me! – THIS IS MY COMPANION ON THE WALK
Thou preparedst a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
THOU annointedst my head with oil
MY cup runneth over – THIS IS MY REWARD
Surely GOODNESS and MERCY shall follow me all the days of my life:
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. – THIS IS MY DESTINATION
We are to walk the walk, run the race, stay the course and stand in our most Holy Faith. But there are times when we may sit…even lie down…in green pastures.
When we get tired, we may need to sit down.
When we are finished, we may need to sit down.
When we sit, we MUST ALWAYS KEEP OUR FINAL DESTINATION IN OUR SIGHTS.
Because of that, we MUST choose with whom, where and why we sit, so that we will be sure to end up seated in the heavenlies with our Savior!
Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
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