June 7th, 2015
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

The Good Life

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Lord God Almighty, I am loved by You and I want to serve You. Only by Your grace am I capable of unselfish service.

Read PSALM 119:25-48

[25]ד Daleth I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word. [26] I gave an account of my ways and you answered me; teach me your decrees. [27] Cause me to understand the way of your precepts, that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds. [28] My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. [29] Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me and teach me your law. [30] I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws. [31] I hold fast to your statutes, LORD; do not let me be put to shame. [32] I run in the path of your commands, for you have broadened my understanding. [33]ה He Teach me, LORD, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end. [34] Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart. [35] Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. [36] Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. [37] Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. [38] Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared. [39] Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good. [40] How I long for your precepts! In your righteousness preserve my life. [41]ו Waw May your unfailing love come to me, LORD, your salvation, according to your promise; [42] then I can answer anyone who taunts me, for I trust in your word. [43] Never take your word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws. [44] I will always obey your law, for ever and ever. [45] I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. [46] I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame, [47] for I delight in your commands because I love them. [48] I reach out for your commands, which I love, that I may meditate on your decrees.

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Meditate

United with Christ, you can receive encouragement, comfort, love, tenderness, compassion, and sharing in the Spirit as well as many other gifts (a summary of Phil. 2:1-2). This is the good life as God sees it.

Think Further

How can we live the good life? The Psalter begins (Psa. 1:1-3) by reminding us we have a choice–we can drift by default with the taken-for-granted culture around us (walking “in step with the wicked”) or grasp our spiritual destiny by being deeply rooted in God and his ways. Psalm 119 continues this theme of choosing to live well. In three further stanzas of this devotional acrostic, the emphasis is again on the blessing that comes when we immerse ourselves in God’s wisdom, even when the way seems hard (25,28). We meet again all the words we have already seen in Psalm 119 for knowledge of how God wants us to live–God’s Word, decrees, precepts, law, truth, statutes, commands, and promises. We have no excuse for missing the point! The instruction our God gives us is life-giving. We should grab it with both hands.

How do we access this wisdom? The apostle Peter says that God “has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him…. For this very reason, make every effort…” (2 Pet. 1:3,5). It takes discipline–the discipline of setting aside time for God’s Word, the discipline of obeying what we read there. There are many ways to do this. My father taught me to meditate on a psalm every day because they speak to the whole range of our human experience. In preparation for the testing times ahead, God told Joshua to keep the Law always on his lips (Josh. 1:8). In recent days I have gone back to memorizing Scripture, a habit lost for many years. I find that in those other times in a day–maybe driving in the car or walking by the ocean–I can recite the words and let them work their way into my heart and mind so I grow in knowledge and Christlikeness.

Apply

Do you want to memorize God’s words and let them permeate your life? Philippians 2 is a good place to start.

Closing prayer

Father, I love to read Your Word. Unfortunately, I often mistake reading it for obeying it. Teach me new ways to embrace and obey Your Word.

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