God's word is Life

October 12th – Les Kovacs              Psalm 119:73-96

Observe:  Psalm 119 is King David’s ultimate ode to the Word of God.  Nearly every verse in every stanza refers to God’s commands, word, laws, promises, statutes, precepts, or decrees.  On the surface, there seems to be little or no apparent connection or common theme between the verses.  It is not like a golden chain where all the links join together to form one beautiful whole, but rather, it is like a priceless collection of individual gems, with each one being equal to and complimenting all the others.  It is a treasure chest conserving a careful collection of David's innermost thoughts and devotions towards the Lord and His Holy Word.  David’s daily supplications, requests, confessions, praises, and adorations that spilled out over the course of his lifetime are finally gathered together into this one magnificent offering to the Word of God. His intent is to magnify the law and affirm it as the most excellent way to live, simply because it is given to us by the Lord God Almighty Himself. 
  
Application:  For David, the Word of the Lord was everything.  It was his teacher, his guide, his refuge, his strength, his source of courage and comfort.  Even when he found himself in difficult circumstances and his patience was being tested, he still declared his faith and hope in the promises of God.  They gave him wisdom and they gave him hope.
God’s Word is no less impactful to us today.  When we meditate on scripture, we realize that they are righteous, faithful, and trustworthy.  They are enduring, delightful, and preserving of life.  They are comforting, eternal, and boundless.  These are all valuable, positive, even noble attributes of God’s eternal word given to us.  These are exactly the kinds of things that Paul urged the believers in Philippians 4:8 to focus upon because they are true, and lovely, and pure, and so much more that is good.

Contrast these noble things with the offerings of the world.  Movies, TV Shows, novels, and other entertainment forms that glorify grotesque and violent body horror or nightmarish monsters slashing innocent people.  Public celebration of casual sex in all forms of media, often portrayed in violent ways, with love, tenderness, and fidelity not even a consideration.  The tendencies of the world are anything but noble or lovely or worthy.  The contrast that exists between the life affirming Word of God and the soul-damaging ideals of this world is jarring. 

As we read the psalm in its entirety, and in particular these verses, we feel a euphoric flow and rhythmic repetition of the greatness of God’s word, laws, precepts, commandments, and decrees.  As we continue to read and meditate on them, we are comforted by their soothing familiarity and their singular righteousness.  We instinctively know that they are words to rely upon.  They are words to build your life upon.  They are words to return to again and again when the world presses in.   They are words that build a bridge from our hearts to the throne room of heaven.

When we read His holy word and compare it to our actions in real life, can we in the stillness of our hearts affirm that we actually live according to His Word?  In view of God’s mercy in giving us these Words of Life, our attitude towards His unfathomable love should be to follow them wholeheartedly.
 
Prayer:  Father God, we pray that in all the circumstances of our life, your Holy Spirit working in us would help us to meditate upon your holy word, and to rejoice with gladness that you care enough to share them with us out of your great mercy.  In the Holy name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Song: Thy Word – Amy Grant
https://youtu.be/a6LC8cu03Ig