Today's Word of Encouragement

PASSION FOR THE WORD OF GOD

Psalm 119:129-136

Sunday, May 17, 2020

      How much did King David love the Word of God? What if the Christian church today, and all its members, loved God’s Word as David did? My mother taught me “to love God’s Word is to love God; to love God is to love His Word.” Note the love affair David had with the Law of God.

      Your testimonies are wonderful (awesome, beyond excellent),

           therefore my soul observes (to protect, keep, obey) them.

     The unfolding (doorway, entrance, portal) of Your words gives light (insight, to illuminate);

           it gives understanding (discernment, careful consideration) to the simple (open minded).

     I opened my mouth wide and panted (eagerness),

           for I longed (strong desire) for Your commandments.

     Turn (face, appear before, have regard) to me and be gracious to me,

           after Your manner (as you use to; as your custom) with those who love Your name.

     Establish (make firm, stable) my footsteps in Your word,

           and do not let any iniquity have dominion (rule, dominate) over me.

     Redeem (save, rescue) me from the oppression of man,

           that I may keep (observe, retain) Your precepts.

     Make Your face (presence) shine (insight, illuminate) upon Your servant,

           and teach me Your statutes.

     My eyes shed streams of water (weep continually),

           because they (other people) do not keep Your law.

     David’s life was dependent upon the Word of God, which means he was dependent upon God. He’s very emotional about all of this, He’s moved by the power, influence, depth, breadth, and height of truth and wisdom found in God’s Word. He’s truly amazed by it.

     When was the last time you had such thoughts and feelings for Scripture? That you would hunger for it more than food, thirst for it more than water, desire it more than rest? When was the last time your heart was broken that you would weep for those who didn’t know God or His Word?

    “Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears because they do not honor Your Word, because of the sins, the foolishness, the stupidity, and the arrogant evil of people” (anonymous). Didn’t our Lord so weep over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41)? Didn’t Paul say he had “great heaviness and continual sorrow” in his heart, on account of his “brethren,” his “kinsmen according to the flesh” (Romans 9:2-3).

    “There is nothing for which we should be excited to deeper emotion in respect to our fellow-men than for the fact that they are violators of the law of God, and exposed to its fearful penalty. There is nothing which more certainly indicates true piety in the soul than such deep compassion for people as sinners, or because they are sinners” (Albert Barnes). Amen.

Pastor Martin