From Duty To Delight

Because of my wife’s busy schedule, sometimes she can commit only a limited amount of time every week to each of our grandchildren. When possible, however, she will rearrange her schedule to spend more time with them—not out of duty, but because she loves them. When I see her with them, I understand what the word delight means.

In Psalm 119, David tells of his “delight” in God’s Word. He uses the word delight eight times (vv.16,24, 35,47,70,77,92,174). He says: “I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your Word. . . . I will delight myself in Your commandments, which I love” (vv.16,47). The psalmist’s words, “I will delight,” indicate that it is a deliberate act of his will. However, it is not a burden for him to delight in God’s Word because he loves it. David’s close relationship with God created in him a desire to know what his Beloved had to say.

In the same way, for us to move from duty to delight in God’s Word, we need to strengthen our relationship with Him. When we remember how much He loves and cherishes us, we will respond with love and we will delight to spend time with Him. “Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day” (v.97).

Then let me love my Bible more And take a fresh delight By day to read these wonders o’er And meditate by night. —Watts

Whether morning, noon, or night, make God’s Word your delight.

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Two-Way Communication

Have you ever been stuck in a conversation with someone who talks only about himself? To be polite, you strike up a dialogue by asking questions. The other person proceeds to talk endlessly about himself, and he never once asks you anything. It is all about that person—and nothing about you.

Imagine what it must be like for our heavenly Father to listen to our prayers during our devotional time. We may have read a portion of His Word, but then in prayer we swiftly shift focus exclusively to our needs. We ask for help in solving a problem, providing for a financial need, or healing a physical ailment. But the passage we’ve just read doesn’t even enter into our prayers. What God has just said to us goes largely unacknowledged.

Apparently the writer of Psalm 119 did not have this perspective. Instead, he sought God’s help in understanding the Word: “Open my eyes,” he said, “that I may see wondrous things from Your law” (v.18). And as he prayed he expressed how he treasured God’s Word, calling it his “delight” (v.24).

Let’s develop a discipline of praying our response to the Word. It just might transform our devotional time. Bible reading and prayer should reflect a two-way communication.

Lord, I’ve just read Your Word to me in Psalm 119. Give me a strong desire like the psalmist’s to keep Your Word. Show me what I can do to make it my delight and counselor. Open my eyes and heart to learn from You.

Listen to God’s Word then pray about what you’ve heard.

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Hidden Away

By the time I was born, my great- grandfather, Abram Z. Hess, had already lost his sight. He was known for the beautiful wooden objects he had carved on a lathe—and also as someone who could quote many verses of Scripture. He and his friend Eli would often share Scripture verses back and forth. A bit of a competitive spirit resulted in their admission that Eli could cite more references while my grandfather could recite more verses.

Today, the family often remembers Abram as “Blind Grandpa.” His practice of memorizing Scripture became a lifeline for him when he lost his physical sight. But why is it important that we memorize the Word of God?

Psalm 119 gives us instruction on how to follow God by hiding His Word in our hearts. First, in this way, we arm ourselves when temptation comes (v.11; Eph. 6:17). Then, as we meditate on His Word, we come to know Him better. Finally, when we have His words etched in our minds, we are better able to hear His voice when He instructs and guides us. We use those phrases of Scripture as we talk with Him, worship Him, and teach or witness to others (Col. 3:16).

The Word of God is “living and powerful” (Heb. 4:12). Hide its precious words away “in [your] heart” (Ps. 119:11)where they will always be with you.

Lord, Your Word is a treasure—priceless and beyond compare. I’m not the best at memorizing but I do want Your words to saturate my mind and heart. Please use Your Word in obvious ways in my life today.

When God’s Word is hidden in our heart, His ways will become our ways.

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The Word Gives Life by Mark D. Roberts

Psalm 119:1-176

I will never forget your commandments,      for by them you give me life.

Psalm 119:93

When I was pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church, I would meet each Friday morning with my elders. We didn’t do business in that meeting, but, rather, spent time sharing concerns and praying. Our prayers would begin with the reading of a psalm, whichever one happened to be our psalm of the day.

I’ll never forget the day we were supposed to read Psalm 119. As we opened our Bibles, we looked at each other with raised eyebrows. Were we really going to read all 176 verses of this psalm, the longest in the Psalter? Yes, indeed, we were. So, for about fifteen minutes, we read Psalm 119 aloud, with each person reading a verse as we went around the circle. When we finished, we felt victorious, as if we had climbed a mountain of Scripture.

If you read all of Psalm 119, especially if you take the time to read it out loud, you’ll quickly notice a fair amount of repetition. This psalm makes one basic point, again and again and again. In fact, the structure of Psalm 119 is meant to convey a sense of thoroughness and completeness in making this point. It is an acrostic psalm, with twenty-two stanzas that begin with each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, in order. If we were writing a version of Psalm 119 in English, it might read something like this:     Absolutely faithful is God’s Word.     Blessings come to the one who loves his truth.     Come and follow the commandments of the Lord.     …Zeal for your Word fills my heart.

Psalm 119 pulls out all the stops in celebrating God’s truth. His Word not only guides our steps and keeps us from getting off course, but also, in a phrase, it gives us life.

Why do we read, study, reflect upon, and pray the Scriptures? Because in them we find life, life with meaning and purpose, life with depth and truth, life both now and forever. The Word of God guides us so that we might live life to the fullest. It shows us how to find significance in every aspect of life as we live for God and his glory.

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: How has your life been enriched by the Word of God? How has God spoken to you recently through the Scriptures?

PRAYER: Gracious God, how I thank you for your written Word. Indeed, as the psalmist says, your commandments have given me life.

Thank you for showing me how to live with meaning each day as I see my life connected to your grand work in the world.

Thank you for teaching me through Scripture how to be faithful in my workplace, my family, my church, and my community.

Thank you for showing me how I can live, not in my own strength, but by your power. How grateful I am for biblical teaching on the Holy Spirit and his gifts.

Thank you for revealing the nature and purpose of the church, helping us to be the people of God, a body consistently growing in you as each part is active.

Thank you for showing us in Scripture that we are called into your mission, and that we can live out this mission each day in every area of life.

Finally, thank you for revealing in the Bible your love for me, your grace through Christ, and your invitation to live in relationship with you.

All praise be to you, O God, for your Word gives me life! Amen.

http://www.thehighcalling.org/reflection/word-gives-life-0

Awake With His Word

My eyes fluttered open, but the room was still dark. It was too early to get up. I sighed, adjusted my pillow, and hoped for sleep. Unfortunately, a lengthy to-do list bombarded my brain. I needed to buy groceries, deliver a meal to a friend, answer e-mail, schedule a doctor’s appointment . . . .

If you’ve ever been overwhelmed and worried, you know how it feels to stare at the ceiling when you should be sleeping. The writer of Psalm 119 was no stranger to this experience. He wrote, “I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help; I hope in Your Word” (v.147).

God’s Word delivered special comfort during the psalmist’s sleepless nights. Although he couldn’t make his problems disappear, he said, “My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your Word” (v.148). At night he reviewed God’s Word over and over in his mind. He concentrated on Scripture rather than his concerns. This practice allowed him to proclaim, “Oh, how I love Your law!” (v.97).

When worry wakes you up, remember, “The Word of God is living and powerful” (Heb. 4:12). Select a passage and mull it over. Our cares cannot compete with God’s Word!

If your soul is parched and thirsty And you feel weighed down by care, Go to God’s Word for refreshment— You’ll find strength and comfort there. —Sper

Only God can still our hearts and quiet our minds.

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