The passage I read
was Psalm 119:33-48
You can find that passage here:
The verse that most
stood out to me:
35 Direct
me in the path of your commands,
for there I find delight.
36 Turn my heart toward your statutes
and not toward selfish gain.
for there I find delight.
36 Turn my heart toward your statutes
and not toward selfish gain.
As I
reflect:
The first portion of
this passage for me talks about a love for and desire of more understanding of
God’s ways. The Psalmist here is
expressing a desire to be obedient to the Lord and I think it’s something we
too should have. In fact, I think it is
one of the evidences or fruits of salvation.
I believe you may come to the Lord without a love for and desire to
follow His laws, but I don’t think that after having come to Him and received
His Holy Spirit one can continue to not love or desire to follow the laws and
please God. As someone who has been and
is being saved by grace daily, I have a desire to please my Savior. Not only that, but I trust Him with more than
just my words. I truly trust every word
He has said through the divine inspiration of men. I trust in His statutes, stories, laws, precepts,
proverbs, parables, poetic expressions, and prophecies. I want a greater understanding of them
because I know that He is wise and thusly His word can bring wisdom. How may I serve Him better if I don’t seek
also to learn from Him what service is?
For me the next
portion of this passage in a way is discussing the result of the previous
portion. Because I desire to know His
word and receive my wisdom from God, I am more able to answer those who taunt
me (or know when no answer is needed at all).
Because I obey and have this truth in me from God, I can walk in freedom
knowing right from wrong and understanding the world I live in but am not
of. Because I seek first what God says
and know that ultimately I answer to Him, I am not put to shame by the persons
of authority in this land. I can be
questioned and in relying on the Lord for my answers I am sound in my stance. I don’t see the purpose here as saying “if” I
check off everything on this list of mine, “then” I can do all this awesome
stuff and know everything. That’s not
the type of “if” and “then” that is being discussed here. Rather, the author points to the unfailing
love and salvation that comes from God being the only way this is possible. So it may be better stated to say, “because”
the Lord has shown me grace and offers me freely salvation, “if” I will
meditate and seek to know and obey His decrees, “then” He will teach me to
stand on the rock that doesn’t move.
My response to the
Lord:
There is no “if” to the fact that you love me and have
called me according to your purpose oh God.
I am thankful for your love and for salvation. I am thankful for your rhema. I am thankful that you inspired men to write
that one day I may read and meditate on the meaning of your messages to
me. I am thankful also for the people
you have placed in my life and often speak through. My Father, I too desire all that the Psalmist
desires here. May you by your unfailing
love and grace for me provide understanding and wisdom so that I may better
answer others, be silent when silence is called for, lead where called to lead,
and above all else serve you in a way that is pleasing. May I not be put to shame in speaking of your
statutes Lord. In Jesus’ name.
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