"Those who love your teachings will find true peace, and nothing will defeat them." (NCV)Having tasted God's peace in such an amazing way this past week, I find myself wanting to live in that space ALWAYS, and this is the prescription. And it comes with a second promise. Not only will I find true peace, but nothing will defeat me! Wow!
I find myself wondering - what does it really mean to LOVE God's teachings? I think about how I relate if I am intrigued by a particular diet plan. I'll spend time researching and understanding what I can about it and spend more time figuring out how to incorporate it into my life and daily routine. And I'll naturally remember a lot about it because of that research. How much time do I spend researching and seeking to understand God's teachings? How much time do I spend working to incorporate His teachings into my life and daily routine? This verse from Psalms suggests that these things are what will bring me true peace and success.
As I think about this, I think about the fact that this verse is found in the longest Psalm. Unlike Psalm 117 which only has 2 verses, this Psalm has more than double the number of verses of any of the other Psalms - probably more than triple but I haven't counted to be sure! This Psalam has 176 verses! I find myself intrigued by this chapter. Footnotes for this chapter tell me that
"This psalm is a Hebrew acrostic poem; there are twenty-two stanzas, one for each successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Each of the eight verses within each stanza begins with the Hebrew letter named in its heading." (Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.)
Someone has taken a lot of time to write this Psalm very differently than all the rest, and it certainly draws attention to it. What is the topic that merits all this attention? God's teachings. Yes, this longest Psalm is focused on God's laws, God's teachings, God's words to us. And the way the Psalm is put together really makes me wonder what might be hidden beneath the surface. My interest has been peaked and I expect to spend more time with this chapter as time goes on. Surely this chapter is a good one to start on as I seek to increase my love for God's teachings.
Father, thank you so much that you care enough to teach us how best to live! As I say this, I am reminded of what Jesus told the disciples shortly before he was arrested in the garden:
"I have many more things to say to you, but they are too much for you now. But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into all truth. He will not speak his own words, but he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is to come. The Spirit of truth will bring glory to me, because he will take what I have to say and tell it to you." (John 16:12-14 NCV)
Thank you, Father, for making allowances for my human weaknesses - for understanding what I need and when I can best handle it. Thank you for the gift of your "Spirit of Truth" to guide me! I trust you to guide me as I continue to seek your will. Father, may your will indeed be done on earth - including the earth of my life - as it is in heaven! May I be open to your guidance and welcome your leading, Father - each and every day of my life. I love you!
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This blog is simply a sharing of my "daily bread" - my daily walk with God. If something I've said has touched your heart, or sparked a new thought, I'd love to hear from you.