Psalm 119:9-16

The longest Psalm, 119, is loaded with verses that celebrate God's Word. At first it might seem strange to bask in the significance of a bunch of laws and ordinances, but for those of us who are United States citizens, don't we do this with our Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights? 

Having had the opportunity to visit the National Archives in Washington DC, it is quite amazing to take in the security of the actual documents. But then to consider that these documents serve as the blueprints for our government's structure, it cannot be dismissed that we celebrate (and sometimes debate) these man-created laws. 

How much more should we, as Children of God, hold in high esteem God's covenants? 

The last week, I've taken my morning devotion time to dwell among Psalm 119:9-16. What I share below are my unedited thoughts, as they came to me at 5:45am. So forgive me if it doesn't seem to flow as I hope my usual devotions do.

Ps 119:9 - How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.

The only way to live according to the Word of God is to know what the Word of God says. And there is a difference between knowing enough to get the gist and really knowing it so that it actually changes the way that we live.

Ps 119:10 - I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.

My first-born/Type A personality really resonates with this verse. It is straight forward and coincides with my work-a-holic tendencies. If I simply stick to the well layed out plan that has stood the test of time, since time began, my life will not only be fulfilling to me, but pleasing to God as well - which of course is my heart's ultimate desire.

Ps 119:11 - I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

There are parties of people who think that memorization of anything, not just Scripture, is an outdated practice. However, there is some compelling research that states otherwise. That being said, the reason why Believers should practice memorization of God's Word is that it changes you from the inside out.

Ps 119:12 - Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees

As a teacher it's very gratifying when students are excited about your class. It's incredibly frustrating when students are totally apathetic about learning. And it's humbling when students choose to do what I've asked, not because they think learning is great, but because they want to please me.

Ps 119:13 - With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth

Synonyms of recount - tell, relate, describe, recite, repeat, rehearse
With intention we should be regularly reviewing God's ordinances so that we can check ourselves before we wreck ourselves.

Ps 119:14 - I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.

There is something about rules and laws that brings out a person's rebelliousness. But really it's not just about my own safety and well-being. It is so that a community of people can live in harmony and that's something to rejoice about.

Ps 119:15 - I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.

Jesus says that He is "the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me". (John 14) Our meditations and considerations should always begin and focus on the path Jesus has laid out for each of us.

Ps 119:16 - I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your Word.

1 - Delight and neglect are opposite - something you delight in will never be neglected. Something that is left neglected, you do not delight in.
2 - Neglect is the result of putting something off for other priorities. It's why our physical health, our relationships, our financial health, our home environments become in such bad shape. 
***Be diligent about putting First Things, first.

Hebrews 4:12

By Kelvin Kay [Public domain, GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)
or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)],
via Wikimedia Commons

I have had several occasions to visit the National Archives in Washington D.C. to view the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, and the Bill of Rights documents. If you've been there too, or seen one of my favorite movies, National Treasure, you know the security measures that are in place to protect these documents not just from theft, but from minuscule pollutants in the surrounding atmosphere. 

As Americans we believe that these documents written just over 200 years ago maintain some sort of authority over our lives. They spell out why we exist as a country. They define our freedoms and our rights. And as such, every law that exists in our country, every decision our Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of government, whether or not we agree with them, is fundamentally tied to these documents. Men and women fight and die to keep the freedoms and rights these documents provide. In essence, these documents are very much a part of how we live out our lives within the borders of this country.

For the word of God is living and active.

The author of Hebrews reminds us that God's Word is living and active. If we place such high esteem on the Declaration of Independence, how much more should we esteem the Holy Scriptures? 

God's Word does not need security measures placed on it to be protected - by its very nature, it protects itself. It cannot be stolen and held for ransom. It's message will never fade. It's contents will never become irrelevant. 

Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

When the Words of God are read and spoken, both our natural world and spiritual realms are changed. Our hearts and minds are transformed. The words of Paul in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 uphold what is written here in Hebrews:

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 

Testimonies have been given countless times since mankind was created and the Word of God recorded of how powerful and life-changing Scripture is. I realize that I've shared part of what you're about to read just recently in another blog post but I'll go into more detail here.

Several years ago, I was going through a period of great anxiety due to experiencing lots of losses over a two year span. Some losses were greater than others, but one in particular, the death of a friend from cancer, really messed with my mind. My thoughts constantly centered around my own health and I became convinced of my own eventual decline and demise. My physical body even began to be affected with this type of thinking. 

If that weren't bad enough, one Saturday morning I woke to a message that felt like it was whispered into my ear, "You're going to die." When I became fully awake I KNEW that I was under a serious spiritual attack. I KNEW that what I felt like I heard was a big, fat lie. I KNEW that the only way to fight back was with Scripture. And so I read my Bible. Reading it silently was not sufficient. My circumstances demanded that my reading be aloud. My circumstances demanded that I read and read and read for most of the day. Whenever I stopped reading, those nasty, ugly lies started to swirl around in my mind. 

I reached out to several friends to let them know that I was dealing with something huge and to start praying, but it was the power of God's Word that got me through that hideous day. 

While I did seek medical counsel and was diagnosed and treated for the grief I was experiencing, nothing but the penetrating double-edged Sword of the Spirit was able to help me make a break-through with my negative thought patterns and provide me with words of Truth to live by. 

This is why, to me, memorizing Scripture is so important. It's life-giving! Anytime I need God's Word, it's with me so that I can be filled up. 

I know that many who are reading this have your own story to tell about the power of the Word of God. How your life has been changed because what is written in between, "In the beginning..." (Genesis 1:1) and "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen" (Revelation 22:21). 

But if you are reading this and have yet to experience and come to believe for yourself that God's Word is living and active, I ask that you reconsider any doubts or disbeliefs that you may hold and read it for yourself. Ask questions. Open your heart to the possibility of being made a new creation. God longs to meet with you. God's greatest desire is for you to seek Him out. In response, He will answer. He will get to you faster than you can get to Him. 

God and His Word is alive! 

Psalm 119:9-16

This Spring I was struck down with the Plague of 2017 - or what others may refer to as "the flu". I can't remember the last time I felt as horrible as I did for over a week. I literally spent four entire days on my couch. And what did I do to pass the time away when I wasn't sleeping? I binged watched Downton Abbey - all six seasons in a matter of one week. It was so good! I loved the characters and their stories and it was sad to see the show come to an end. 

Like reading an excellent series of books, it's easy to get sucked into the story line of characters and their fictitious lives - oftentimes, losing all track of time and responsibilities. 

Has anyone ever lost track of time while reading their Bible? I can't say that I have. Praying, sure. But reading Scripture? Sadly, no. 

So when I read the words of Psalm 119:9-16, I have to ask myself, do I "seek with all of my heart"? Do I "recount all the laws"? Have I ever "rejoice(d) in following (God's) statutes"? 

I can get lost in what is going to happen next with Lady Mary Crawley, but do I get lost in God's written word? Have I ever read and studied Scripture, like I binged watched a favorite show? 

I can memorize, meditate, and make blog posts on Scripture passages but I am challenged by what the Psalmist pens, because there is no way that I can compete with how he loves the Word of God and how I feel about it. 

Maybe I am going about this the wrong way. Maybe this particular part of Psalm 119 shouldn't necessarily be used as a standard to evaluate my faith, but rather I can use it as a prayer to guide my thoughts so that my heart will be transformed. 

Thanks for hanging in there while I figure this out...it's taken me a while to get these words memorized. Now it's time to move them 12 inches from my head to my heart. 

Blessings!