"Remember your promise to me; it is my only hope. Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles. The proud hold me in utter contempt, but I do not turn away from your instructions. I meditate on your age-old regulations; O Lord, they comfort me. I become furious with the wicked, because they reject your instructions. Your decrees have been the theme of my songs wherever I have lived. I reflect at night on who you are, O Lord; therefore, I obey your instructions. This is how I spend my life: obeying your commandments." (Psalms 119:49-56 - Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.)I've had that experience - of being revived and comforted by God's promises. Thank you, Father! So many times I've found myself starting to move into fear until I remember one of God's promises that banishes my fears. While this section starts out asking God to remember His promise to me, I suspect that once again it's not God that needs reminding, but me! I think I understand the writer, though. Sometimes things happen that scare us and make us uncomfortable. It's easy at times like this to think God has forgotten His promises - but at such a time, it's really me that has forgotten to trust! These verses remind me that at such a time, it can be really helpful to meditate on God's instructions to me - this will bring comfort! Thank you, God! My old tapes tell me that thinking about God's teachings will make me uncomfortable, but clearly one of the promises that is repeated over and over is that meditating on God's word to me will bring the opposite. It will bring comfort!
For some reason, these thoughts remind me of my grandmother - a godly woman who spent time daily meditating on God's word. When my aunt was killed in a car accident that resulted in a wrongful death payment to my grandparents, they passed some of that money on to me. My grandmother said at the time, "Did you know that the Bible says we are to leave an inheritance to our grandchildren?" She quoted this verse, that frankly I hadn't remembered seeing before: "Good people leave their wealth to their grandchildren"! (Proverbs 13:22 NCV)
I couldn't help but think about the many people who consider themselves Christians and yet leave all their wealth to a church or other charitable organization, leaving their children and grandchildren feeling unloved because of their actions - not just unloved by their human parents and grandparents, but unloved by a God who would expect this. I'm so glad my grandmother spent the time seeking to understand God's teachings for herself. Her sharing this verse with me was even more important than the generous financial gift she gave me. It reinforced God's love for me. God loves ME - not just the nameless, faceless masses of other people with needs! Thank you, Father for your love - and for the way my grandmother was willing to be an open channel of that love from You to me.
This then, is an example to me of the value of studying God's teachings. There are undoubtedly many gems such as this one in Proverbs that I have yet to find. And, as this passage from Psalms suggests, as I meditate on God's word to me, it causes me to reflect also on who God really is. Just as I can tell a great deal about human leader by the laws he creates and the way he enforces them, I can learn a great deal about God in the same way. God's laws reflect His character. But I have to meditate on God's word for myself so that I am not one of those Jesus spoke of when He said, "And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." (Matthew 15:9 NKJV) This is why I must become a new creature. If I hang on to "old tapes", they will taint the "new to me" teachings God is wanting to share with me.
Father, this morning I am so grateful for these insights you are giving me. You know how many of these old tapes still run around in my head making it difficult to understand your will for me. I thank you that you are in the process of making me a new creature and bringing these tapes to my consciousness so they can be removed as they should be! Thank you so much for your love to me! Thank you so much for your patience! I know I am a really slow learner sometimes! Thank you for being such an understanding and patient teacher! I love you, Father.
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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.