KNOWING GOD’S WORD

“May my cry come before you, Lord; 

give me understanding according to your word.

May my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise.

May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees.

May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous.

May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts.”

Psalm 119:69-73

          There is something that every Christian must seek.  It is intimacy with God.  We need to accept His nearness to us and take advantage of it so that we can experience the fullness of His glory in our lives.  David, the author of this the longest Psalm in the Bible, was not perfect, yet he knew His God well enough to know that forgiveness was for the asking and redemption would lead him to a deeper, more meaningful relationship with the Lord.  The verses above are examples of one of the author’s heartfelt petitions to God.  Four of the five verses start with David crying out, humbly praying and singing praise.  He seeks understanding and deliverance from the Lord.  David wishes to be taught God’s decrees by the Holy Spirit.  He then acknowledges that God’s precepts are righteous, fair and just. 

          The interesting thing about God’s precepts is that they are righteous, fair and just for all men, not just a few select men.   I have written before about standards.  For mankind to survive and not tear each other to shreds, there must be a standard for living in place.  No one this side of heaven could ever come up with a standard, with rules and laws, that was completely impartial. All created beings develop preconceived ideas and prejudices that would taint any standards in one way or another.  The Creator of the Universe is the only One who is completely flawless, impartial and free from all prejudice.  He loves each of us equally and unconditionally.  His standard is the one that needs to be followed to have a rich and fulfilling life. 

          As Christians, we all want to take full advantage of God’s promises; however, we need to seek, embrace and embody the standards that the Lord has set forth.  Scripture is clear; God knows exactly what He’s doing and lays out His standard, with both its laws and promises throughout the Bible.  That is why I continuously stress that we need to be people of His word.  Otherwise, how will we know what God expects of us?  This isn’t a one-way street; it goes two ways.  It isn’t all about you or me; it’s about God and who we are in Him.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resources:  The Treasury of David by Charles Spurgeon.