“Blessed are this whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Bless are those who keep His statutes and seek Him with all their heart – they do no wrong but follow His ways.” (Psalm 119:1-3 NIV)
Obedience to God brings blessing. We cannot possibly be obedient to what we do not know. The only way to walk in obedience is to walk in daily relationship with the Word. Not just a devotional reading, but an actual submergence in scripture.
I love Psalm 119 because it is the longest chapter in scripture, located in the center of scripture, and it is all about the essentiality of scripture. Psalm 119 is a love letter to the Word of God.
Critics may retort: you cannot elevate scripture above God! But I would gently respond: Jesus is the Word. Scripture is the means by which we learn to love God rightly. Apart from the sacred texts, we have no clear instruction on how to engage God in a way that honors Him.
We cannot possibly hope to please God apart from His word. These onion-skin thin pages hold hope, life and truth. According to Psalm 119, the word of the Lord is…
the life preserver to the drowning
food for the famishing
light in the darkness
redemption for the condemned
council for the confused
strength for the sorrowful
grace for the disgraced
confidence for the hassled
freedom for the oppressed
comfort for the suffering
a portion for the portion-less
an education for the ignorant
a treasure for the penniless
inclusion for the outcast
sure direction for the lost
good judgement for the undiscerning
reminders for the forgetful
wisdom for the unlearned
a shield for those under attack
wisdom for the unlearned
refuge for the pursued
deliverance for the hounded
sight for blind eyes
delight amidst distress
stamina for the weary
defense for the accused
compassion for the burdened
a powerful ally for the persecuted
peace for the stressed
familiarity for the foreigner
answers for those that ask questions
and a new song for the exhausted
The Bible is not an old, dead book. Quite the opposite, truly. It is alive, relevant and incredibly powerful. Please don’t take my word for it, but dive into it’s pages for yourself. Find everything you are looking for and far more. <3
“I meditate on You precepts and consider Your ways. I delight in Your decrees; I will not neglect Your word.” (Psalm 119:15-16 NIV)
Lord, help us value Your Word as You do, and therefore begin to see You rightly. We want to know You more and honor all that You are. Amen.