Teach me, LORD, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end.
Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart.
Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.
Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.
Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.
Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared.
Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good.
How I long for your precepts! In your righteousness preserve my life.
Psalm 119:33-40 [NIV]
A sense of dependence and extreme need runs through this passage. The cry for help we saw yesterday continues in requests for teaching, upholding, stabilizing and quickening. The challenge here is one of practical action – you will notice that the wording of the passage is active, rather than passive.
Being a passive Christian is easy, and it's not really what we are called to do. Belief is about activity, about spreading the Word, about standing up for what you believe in. At times, that can be unpleasant and seemingly unrewarding. Yet, don't lose the focus about what this is about, not our lives on earth, but our eternal life in Heaven.
Today, think about how you can be a more active Christian. I know that when I am active, then life is more exciting and I feel more blessed, and I see things happening in other people's lives. When I am not active, that doesn't happen.
Have a good weekend.
Richard Mason
Read the Bible in a year: Psalm 119:33-40, Jeremiah 29:24-31:14, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17
No comments:
Post a Comment