May 3: Psalm 119

The longest chapter in the Bible shows a godly servant's reflections on an intimate Father-son relationship and the supreme value of God's Word. The writer points out the two-way street of seeking and loving God -- and His compassionate and fatherly response. Organized as an acrostic, each of the 22 subsections stands alone as a psalm, and each subsection makes reference to God's Word.

The Psalmist clearly has committed his life to seeking out God. He seeks to "meditate on it all day long" and has "chosen the way of truth." He has made serious efforts towards these goals. The choices to follow God were personal and led him to hide the Word in his heart. As a result of seeking out the Father, this servant desires purity, holiness, and boldness in his life. He understands that we demonstrate our love for the Father through keeping His commands (John 14:21). The servant has signed up for the rest of his life:

"My heart is set on following your decrees
to the very end."


Yet, the servant is not merely reaching out to a God that is far off; rather, the Father is closely involved with the servant's growth. It is a tender father-son relationship, where the Father imparts knowledge and wisdom along the path toward maturity. He does so with a combination of gentleness and firmness, as the situation suggests. He intimately knows His children and what is best for them. This impartation of wisdom is not a passive or formulaic process; rather, it is active: God teaches, gives understanding, and directs the servant:

1. "Your word is a lamp unto my feet
and a light for my path."

2. "I am your servant; give me discernment
that I may understand your statutes."

3. "Your statutes are forever right;
give me understanding that I may live."


The servant, in turn, delights in God's Word and His presence. His life is not a cakewalk, however, as he faces real struggles and real affliction. A friend recently suggested that evangelical Christians may have done others a disservice by proclaiming that coming to Christ is something like an "upgrade package" for life; instead, knowing God personally gives us both eternal life and eternal purpose. We are guaranteed to have struggles in this life: "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted... " Yet, the servant receives both freedom (from the captivity of sin and affliction) and comfort in his struggles:

1. "I will walk about in freedom,
for I have sought out your precepts."

2. "My comfort in my suffering is this:
Your promise preserves my life."


How might a treasuring of God's Word affect your life? One key area is decisionmaking. When we have hidden God's Word in our hearts, living according to His Word becomes more possible. His Word will work within us, along with the power of the Holy Spirit, to guide us into truth and into choosing to serve Him. When we are faced with a difficult decision, we might reflect on the following questions (and seek answers through prayer or Scripture-searching):

1. What does God's Word have to say on this topic? (It may be helpful to find a Bible with a concordance or to make use of a Bible search tool on the Internet, such as at http://www.biblegateway.com.)

2. What are the various options with this decision? Which ones would be most honoring to God? Which path is about living in fear? Pleasing others? Serving myself? (Given that our emotions and will can become torn in such a decision, it is important to seek after God's wisdom and discernment in prayer.)

3. How can I step forward in faith, given that the future is not clear? (Here, we may rely on God's faithfulness [Hebrews 13:5; Psalm 23:4].)


QUESTIONS

1. It appears that there are lasting benefits for following God's Word. How can you actively "hide" the Word in your heart?

2. How could you "meditate" more on God's Word? How might this affect your decisionmaking?