In the early part of the reading from Psalm 119, three verses stood out to me. They all talk about needing help to keep the Lord's word.
5. Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees
10. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands
17. Be good to your servant while I live, that I may obey your word
The surrounding verses talk a lot about praising the Lord, but the Psalmist keeps going back to asking for help to not slip away from God.
Later on in verses 67 and 71,
67. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word
71. It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.
We read here how the Psalmist had earlier slipped away from God, but now felt it was a benefit that he had earlier fallen away because he had now learnt a lesson and was back on track.
I hope for myself that I keep focused on God and not slide back. This can easily be done by skipping daily prayer time, or getting lazy with not keeping up my Bible reading, or many other things.
In our reading from 2 Corinthians, their is a lot said in the final couple of verses. The ones that stand out to me have to do with knowing that out bodies are dying, but our inner self is being renewed.
12. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you
16. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
Sometimes when I look at the really old people (I'm not putting an age down) in church, I feel sorry for them because they can't physically do the things they used to. They often have a sickness or worse yet have a spouse that's gone on already. But if they serve the Lord their soul is being renewed, and they are being prepared for something far better. How much better this is, than being physically fit and without God?
4 comments:
It's so true that we need God to instill a desire for His Word within us, to give us the wisdom and understanding to comprehend it, as well as the courage and strength to live it.
I appreciated our NT passage and the reminder to see things through the eyes of eternity, instead of what seems important at the present.
These verses stoof our for me:
OT
How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you;
let me not wander from your commandments!
11 I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
NT
2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice[b] cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.
The old testament passage makes me think about the daily struggles we, and our children, face in a society that has turned its back on God's word and that the other way we can remain firm is to know and obey God's commandments. The new testament boldly states that we know and obey God and are not afraid to stand up knowing that it is God's opinion of us that matters.
These verses stoof our for me:
OT
How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you;
let me not wander from your commandments!
11 I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
NT
2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice[b] cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.
The old testament passage makes me think about the daily struggles we, and our children, face in a society that has turned its back on God's word and that the other way we can remain firm is to know and obey God's commandments. The new testament boldly states that we know and obey God and are not afraid to stand up knowing that it is God's opinion of us that matters.
This verse stood for me:
"Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end."
It reminded me of the saying - give a man a fish and you feed him for the day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. We need to have the desire for God to teach us, so that we can keep His statutes until the end.
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