How blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD. How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, who seek Him with all their heart. They also do no unrighteousness; they walk in His ways.
How contrary this text is to most people's way of thinking about the law of the LORD. Instead of seeing it as negative, binding and difficult, the psalmist sees it as the best thing that ever came into his life, protecting him, strengthening him, reviving him, comforting him, teaching him, guiding him, saving him, and blessing him. He saw it as the principle of all that is pure, honest and good, and he set his heart to have that principle within. If we were to be dead honest and open about the harm done, not only with the obnoxious, extreme disregarders of God's law, but also with the "soft" disregarders of God's law, we would have to say that the way of the transgressor is hard. We are paying a high price for our carelessness and ignorance; not only in overcrowded prisons but also in overwhelming personal pain. Sidelining the law of the LORD has brought on a huge increase in marriage, family, community and national injuries, beyond anything we could have ever imagined. And the worst is, we have accepted it as normal; as something to be expected. But it's not normal! Someone needs to say it. What is happening to us isn't normal! Why in the world do we try to comfort ourselves by finding a way in our thinking to make it normal and even acceptable? That's insanity! God has ordained a better way! This is what the psalmist is exclaiming over and over again. Is there anyone out there with ears to hear, with eyes to see, and with a will to "walk in His ways"? The psalmist does!
How contrary this text is to most people's way of thinking about the law of the LORD. Instead of seeing it as negative, binding and difficult, the psalmist sees it as the best thing that ever came into his life, protecting him, strengthening him, reviving him, comforting him, teaching him, guiding him, saving him, and blessing him. He saw it as the principle of all that is pure, honest and good, and he set his heart to have that principle within. If we were to be dead honest and open about the harm done, not only with the obnoxious, extreme disregarders of God's law, but also with the "soft" disregarders of God's law, we would have to say that the way of the transgressor is hard. We are paying a high price for our carelessness and ignorance; not only in overcrowded prisons but also in overwhelming personal pain. Sidelining the law of the LORD has brought on a huge increase in marriage, family, community and national injuries, beyond anything we could have ever imagined. And the worst is, we have accepted it as normal; as something to be expected. But it's not normal! Someone needs to say it. What is happening to us isn't normal! Why in the world do we try to comfort ourselves by finding a way in our thinking to make it normal and even acceptable? That's insanity! God has ordained a better way! This is what the psalmist is exclaiming over and over again. Is there anyone out there with ears to hear, with eyes to see, and with a will to "walk in His ways"? The psalmist does!
- "I will keep Your statutes (v8)
- "I will delight in Your statutes (v16a)
- "I will not forget Your word (v16b)
- "I will run the way of Your commandments (v32)
- "I will observe it to the end" (v33)
- "I will delight in Your commandments which I love (v47)
- "I will lift up my hands to Your commandments (v48)
- "I will diligently consider Your testimonies (v95)
No comments:
Post a Comment