Divided Hoof: Discernment

Lev. 11:3 - Whatever has a divided hoof, that is, has its hoof split in two, and chews the cud among the beasts, that you may eat.Lev. 11:26 - For every beast which has a divided hoof but does not have its hoof split in two or chew the cud is unclean to you; everyone who touches them shall be unclean.

Footnote from the Holy Bible Recovery Version on Divided Hoof:
Lit., divides the hoof, that is, splits the split of its hoofs (cf. vv. 7, 26). Animals that divide the hoof and chew the cud (v. 3; cf. vv. 4-8, 26-28) signify persons who have discernment in their activities (Phil. 1:9-10) and who receive the word of God with much reconsideration (see note 151 in Psa. 119).

As I was reading and studying the word this morning, the Lord impressed me deeply about the need for discernment. There had been many instances in my Christian life where I was caught in between the horns of dilemma. At times swinging between two choices, sometimes I did make the right choice while other times, the wrong one. Through failures I have been learning this important lesson of life: discernment and consideration of the Lord's word.

Even at this time, I have to discern people, matters and things. I simply cannot waste my time in foolishness or ignorance. In the people I am burdened and have been praying for, in spending time to shepherd them, in making decisions of life, in big things and the small ones too, I need the Lord's wisdom and discern things accurately. Not for my own personal benefit but for the sake of God's economy. Everything I do must be in the Lord's leading and must for the fulfillment of His purpose on the earth. For this, I need discernment.

On the flip side, when living without discernment and consideration of the Lord's word, one falls into unnecessary troubles and the Lord even sovereignly uses those as a disciplinary action for the perfecting of the saints. Whether one  learns in discernment or in discipline, either way, God is supremely wise to gain His chosen ones for His testimony. Praise the Lord!

In this portion of the word, my attention was on two points, not just the divided hoof but also:

1. Hoofs split in two
2. Chew the cud

The two are extremely important, like two legs of a man for standing and walking, or even perhaps, for running the race of a human life. For our human daily living and walking, we need both necessarily. With God’s wisdom there is a need to discern persons, matters and things. As Paul prayed for the Christians in the church in Philippi:

Phil. 1:9 - And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in full knowledge and all discernment,Phil. 1:10 - So that you may approve by testing the things which differ and are more excellent, that you may be pure and without offense unto the day of Christ.

This is my prayer for myself too, including all the saints, that we may walk in wisdom, even discerning all things. One of the practical ways I have discovered for gaining discernment is the word of God itself. When one knows the word and muse upon it, then he can discern based on the word, and live according to it.

Psa. 119:15 - I will muse upon Your precepts/And regard Your ways.

Such living is indeed a living in wisdom as it is according to the word of God.

Psa. 119:105 - Your word is a lamp to my feet/And a light to my path.

Thus by these two ways of living and walking, in discernment and consideration of the word, we can live a holy life as God desires, a normal God-man living, a normal Christian life.

Lord, perfect me to live a life of discernment by considering Your word, that I may be Your living testimony as You so desired. Amen.