Bountiful

Psalms 116:7 says, "Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you."

Bountiful is an interesting word and one not used in our every day speech. Our English language defines it as "liberal in bestowing gifts and favor." I believe the Hebrew word gamal gives it a fuller meaning: "to deal fully with, recompense" or "to ripen, bear ripe" or "to wean a child, to be weaned."

To experience God's bounty is to come into a place of maturity (ripen) through faith, an absolute trust in His word. David uses the word wean for bountiful when he writes in Psalm 131:2: "Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child." (King James Version).

I'm learning to cultivate a quiet and still heart before the Lord. Putting aside the weariness of the day or distractions is tough. Whenever I chose to deliberately quiet my soul, it means reaping a bountiful harvest of His presence in all areas of my life. Everything falls into perspective, in it's proper place. I have no pressing want or urgent need which can wait when I take the time to rest in His presence.

By the way to "rest" is not a passive state. To rest is to actively mediate on His promises, think or dwell on how He is so wonderful, beautiful and awesome. In those moments, He speaks so clearly of His divine nature and care.