MEDITATIONS FROM THE PSALMS

 

June 8, 2005           

Reading: Psalm 119:129-136

 

 “Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them” Ps 119:129

 

Really, it is simple, isn’t it my soul? No complicated debate or tension driven articles or denominational divisions are required to give us a reason to keep the commandments of your Lord. Keep them because they are wonderful! For years you lived under the concept that You would try to obey the Word of the Lord because He has commanded you to do so. Oh, but you found it so difficult and suffered great distress when you failed. So often it seemed as if you were running round and round on a wheel until you fell off exhausted and frustrated. You treated the commandments of your Savior as if they were the commands of God accompanied by thunder and fire.

How gracious you are, dear Lord, to give me a new reason for obeying your commandments—“Keep my commandments because you love them.” That is what You ask of me—“If you love me, love my commandments. If you love me you will love my commandments and it will be a joyous experience when you do.”

Your Word, dear Savior, is not meant to be a hammer to be used by You on those who love You, but rather the path that leads me into a more intimate relationship with Yourself.

 

“Dear Master, help me to stay focused on Your Word, for the more I know it the more I will love it. As Your Word enters my soul so does Your marvelous light which, in turn, reveals You more intimately to me as it discards the clouds that hide You from the unsanctified heart.”