Today, later in the afternoon, the Lord just seemed to impress me with the magnitude of His sacrifice for my sake. In that moment, disobedience and unfaithfulness were so abhorrent to me! I couldn't bear the thought of dishonoring my Savior by doing anything but my best to serve Him. Lord, please keep this idea firmly planted in the forefront of my thoughts. I hate how I constantly fail in diligence and faithfulness. Wake me in the morning with a sincere desire to honor You with my whole self in everything I do. Enable me to get up on time and to work on time. Give me joy in the opportunity each day to serve You more.
"Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then I will meditate on your wonders. My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law. I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws. I hold fast to your statutes, O LORD; do not let me be put to shame. I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free." ~Psalm 119:27-32
Some of these verses have been just so meaningful to me as I've learned them. I love 10 & 11 -- they kind of define why I'm learning this psalm in the first place. And 18 -- I am continually finding something new and wonderful in God's law.
But 32 has been the best so far. (That almost sounds blasphemous! :) One verse being "better" than another.) It just so perfectly expresses what the Lord has been doing in my heart over the last months. "I run in the path of your commands..." Not "walk" or "follow," but RUN -- eagerly, headlong, joyfully pursuing God's Word and His will. "...for you have set my heart free." So much joy wrapped in one phrase! You set my heart free. It certainly wasn't my doing. My sinful heart wants to remain in bondage to sin. But Your Spirit reached down and gave me the capacity to desire freedom from sin. And my heart is free! Free from the dominion of evil, and free to pursue You with reckless abandon. What a marvelous truth! Such a glorious gift! How can I be anything but humbly grateful for the fact that You chose to set me free?! I will ever RUN after your commands!
Psalm 34 was particularly dear to me today. Verse 13 -- "Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile." -- I need that burned into my soul. Verses 17-19 -- "The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all."
Lord, I yearn to be what you would have me to be. Give me a heart broken over my sin. Make my spirit contrite and humble before You. Cause me to bow low in anguish, humility, and worship at Your feet. You are holy, while I am filthy. Cleanse me of my sin. Teach me true repentance; give me sorrow over my wretched nature and the things I do that are sinful and disobedient. Make me a meek, humble servant, empty of myself and eager to please You and obey You in EVERY area of my life -- which is not mine anyway, but Yours.
Lord, I yearn to be what you would have me to be. Give me a heart broken over my sin. Make my spirit contrite and humble before You. Cause me to bow low in anguish, humility, and worship at Your feet. You are holy, while I am filthy. Cleanse me of my sin. Teach me true repentance; give me sorrow over my wretched nature and the things I do that are sinful and disobedient. Make me a meek, humble servant, empty of myself and eager to please You and obey You in EVERY area of my life -- which is not mine anyway, but Yours.
"Most of us, and sometimes all of us, believe deep inside that God is satisfied with the level of righteousness we have attained. We think this way, largely because we know other believers whom we consider less righteous than we are. That amounts to trusting in ourselves that we are righteous, and despising others."
~ Paul W. Downey, More Than Spectators
~ Paul W. Downey, More Than Spectators
The Lord wants me single and highly available. I don't know why. My pride wants me to believe I have some great work to perform that can only be accomplished without the burden of husband or family. My self-pity tells me I'm alone because I'm not good enough to be a wife or mother, that I'm such a weak Christian that if I had it I'd just screw it up. But the Lord, He tells me He has a purpose for me, but that I must be completely empty of myself in order for Him to best use me. And that too, helps me in the loneliness. Because when I'm focused on His desires, my own fall into the background and are eventually replaced. Lord, You are the love of my life and the desire of my soul. Turn my heart ever after Your will, and eliminate anything from my life that distracts from Your purpose.
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