Following God’s Word

Psalm 19:7-11 (NIV) “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward”.

One of the things I have committed to since retiring (It has only been four days and I am not really retired, but I needed to use the word retired to qualify for certain benefits when leaving my last job) is to write about faith related issues. This is my start, and I am titling these writings “Rise and Shine” because they will be somewhat connected to my morning devotions (Rise) and my personal faith journey to be a committed follower of Christ (Shine). My intention is to identify specific verses or portion of a chapter that I have read and then reflect on how the scripture applies in some way to my faith journey. Writing my reflections on the scripture is a personal way for me to intentionally reflect on and apply God’s word to my daily life.

Today’s scripture is from Psalm 19:7-11. It is so easy to read these words and even be comforted by this scripture without internalizing what these words really mean for how we need to live our lives for Christ. Do we really believe in our heart that God’s word is perfect, and that it can bring joy to our heart even in times of trouble? Do we handle God’s word in a way that shows that we truly believe that God’s word is “more precious than gold”? Do we really heed God’s warnings in the scripture?

What is the evidence that we have faith in God’s word and that we affirm that faith through our actions? For starters, to live a life in a way that demonstrates our commitment to God’s word means we need to daily read God’s word, reflect on His word, and apply His word to our life. We should also interact with and listen to others who seek to be a follower of Christ to be able to deepen our faith (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Additionally, we need to know scripture and to be able to respond to false teachings to help keep us on the narrow path (Psalm 119:11). And ultimately, we need to do what the Word of God says to be a faithful servant (James 1:22). With the help of the Holy Spirit we should strive each day to be who we say we are in Christ. Here is a prayer for us today as Christ followers (Psalm 19:12-14, NIV): “But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer”. Amen.