You have dealt well with your servant, O Lord, according to your Word. Teach me good judgement and knowledge for I believe in your commandments. Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now I keep your Word. You are good and do good; teach me your statutes. (Psalm 119:65-68)
What are those statutes, exactly? I think the first part of the last verse above sums it up: You are good and do good. Therefore, we must trust Him; we must "suffer" to be led by Him; we must obey; we must alighn our loyalties soley to Him; we must set our hope in Him alone (for none other is good); and we must not fear.
Truly, I think the last one is of first importance. We cannot or will not trust, follow, obey, be loyal to, or hope in God if we are fearful, rather, if we do not fear God alone. Fear of anything else will keep us from learning His statutes and really seeing that He alone is "good and [does] good."
What is it that you fear? It is for that very thing that the Lord said "Fear not." His statutes and promises were not meant only for times when it seemed natural and right to believe and obey. They were spoken and written on paper and then on our hearts for just those moments when we don't want to or can't regard them as true. It is in the scariest, most emotional and heart-wrenching, painful times...those when we are also, consequently, the most bent on disobedience (i.e., self-preservation/pleasing) that His statutes are their most true, where they can shine forth at their brightest. And He prepares us for them through the relative ease of daily obedience and even subjective ascent to His truth to keep our foothold when the winds blow. It is in those times when all else is a whirlwind of confusion and emotion and uncertainty that we MUST, we can only, plant our feet in what we KNOW for certain is true.
What is this?
He is good and does good...therefore we must choose Him over self or over another; over our heart, over our mind, over what we think we know or understand. He is good and does good and only His path, His way will lead us to "green pastures" and "still waters" and "paths of righteousness". Nothing else, no one else can make that promise AND fulfill it.
No one.
Nothing.
No how.
No way.
Not ever.
The Lord alone is "good and [does] good... (Psalm 119:68)
What are those statutes, exactly? I think the first part of the last verse above sums it up: You are good and do good. Therefore, we must trust Him; we must "suffer" to be led by Him; we must obey; we must alighn our loyalties soley to Him; we must set our hope in Him alone (for none other is good); and we must not fear.
Truly, I think the last one is of first importance. We cannot or will not trust, follow, obey, be loyal to, or hope in God if we are fearful, rather, if we do not fear God alone. Fear of anything else will keep us from learning His statutes and really seeing that He alone is "good and [does] good."
What is it that you fear? It is for that very thing that the Lord said "Fear not." His statutes and promises were not meant only for times when it seemed natural and right to believe and obey. They were spoken and written on paper and then on our hearts for just those moments when we don't want to or can't regard them as true. It is in the scariest, most emotional and heart-wrenching, painful times...those when we are also, consequently, the most bent on disobedience (i.e., self-preservation/pleasing) that His statutes are their most true, where they can shine forth at their brightest. And He prepares us for them through the relative ease of daily obedience and even subjective ascent to His truth to keep our foothold when the winds blow. It is in those times when all else is a whirlwind of confusion and emotion and uncertainty that we MUST, we can only, plant our feet in what we KNOW for certain is true.
What is this?
He is good and does good...therefore we must choose Him over self or over another; over our heart, over our mind, over what we think we know or understand. He is good and does good and only His path, His way will lead us to "green pastures" and "still waters" and "paths of righteousness". Nothing else, no one else can make that promise AND fulfill it.
No one.
Nothing.
No how.
No way.
Not ever.
The Lord alone is "good and [does] good... (Psalm 119:68)
thank you for sharing this, I needed it this morning. My hubby and I are walking a faith walk right now, where we're finding it very easy to give into fear and worry, but know in our hearts that it is God who is in control, and because of that we have a new hope. It's hard.... but definately worth it. I just need to keep choosing to walk this way every moment. Thanks for that scripture.
ReplyDeleteNin,
ReplyDeleteFirst...so excited to finally "meet" Carebear's sister! Yay. Also...and more to the point. As you may have gathered, I totally get the "fear and worry" part of walking by faith. This post was really kind of an "in my own face, this-is-the-real-reality" kind of thing. I am glad the Lord didn't intend it just for me, though and that He spoke to you through it.