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  • Shape Me, O Lord (Psalm 119:73-80)

    As we have walked in God’s Word through Psalm 119, it has been clear there is power in the Word of God, both for understanding it and applying it to our lives. It has the power to shape us because the Word of God is written by the God of the Word, namely the God who spoke everything into being. Just as God formed us as we see with Adam in creation, God shapes us with His Word. The manifold reasons He shapes us include: so that we may gain understanding (verse 73) and that we may hope in His Word (verse 74). As a result of our hope in God, God’s people rejoice! This does not discount that challenges and suffering come in this life. On the contrary, hoping in God’s Word shines a spotlight on the reality that the only lasting hope cannot come from a set of circumstances but only the Savior, who is Jesus Christ. Because we see the righteousness of God in Christ and the faithfulness of God to keep His promises, we can come to the Lord in prayer with confidence He hears us, especially in times of affliction. Yet, it is not only that the Lord hears our prayers but that is He comforts us. Verse 76 makes clear that God’s steadfast love comforts, and this is a promise God made to His servant and a truth we can hold onto during times we need comfort. Because God has shaped us, we find our prayers have been shaped by the Word. The way the psalmist lists his prayer is instructive for us, because he prays for mercy (v. 77), for justice to wrongdoing (v. 78), and for the testimony of God in the believer (v. 79). It is a prayer shaped by who God is, what He does, and for the spread of His name and salvation. God continues to mold us and shape us. There will be times we need to be refined or have edges evened out in our spiritual lives, but our prayers should includes verses 77-79 and conclude with the resolve: “May my heart be blameless in your statutes that I may not be put to shame”.

    Reflection Questions:

    1. How has God’s Word shaped you?
    2. How can your prayers be better shaped by God’s Word? Take time to pray in alignment with verses 77-79 today.

  • The Goodness of God (Psalm 119:65-72)

    Instances of suffering are often the places where we ask questions of the faith. Yet, strangely enough, suffering is also the context where we find sweeter fellowship with the Lord. The loss of a job leads to more mindful dependence on God. The health diagnosis reminds the person that God is the one who can heal or is the one who numbers our days. We misunderstand what it means that God deals well with us if we look at our circumstances as the determinator. Rather, the indicator of His dealings is the deepening relationship He has with His people. We need to hear that truth from God’s Word. We need to be taught that because afflictions will come and when the temptations to stray present themselves, the question will be: Will we keep God’s Word? The way we answer that will reveal what we believe, specifically about God. The psalmist teaches us to believe the goodness of God. God’s very character (“You are good”) is evidenced by His works (“and do good”) (verse 68). It means to not buy into the lies that go against what God’s Word says about God despite our circumstances and trials. Verse 71 hits home what it means to keep God’s Word with your whole heart in the midst of suffering, “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.” The goodness of God changes our perspective to see how affliction can be for our good.

    Reflection Questions:

    1. How have your times of suffering challenged your view of God?
    2. How does trusting in God’s goodness change your perspective of trials being for your good?

  • The Lord is My Portion (Psalm 119:57-64)

    I remember growing up I loved going to buffets. One of the reasons I look back with fond memories is because you can decide what food you wanted and how much of it. I often would eat until I was full, until I had enough portions to satisfy me. With life, with anything other than God, we will head back to the buffet line. The LORD is the One who alone can satisfy. That is why the Psalmist says, “The LORD is my portion” (verse 57). And what does it look like to live out the truth the LORD is our portion? It means we resolve and promise to keep His Word. We are not seeking counsel outside of His wisdom or looking for a second opinion. Instead, we are resolving to follow Him with our whole hearts, fully committed to submitting ourselves under His word and not half-heartedly choosing when we will obey God’s word and what commands are too hard. However, this type of whole-hearted devotion cannot be done in our own strength. That is why we pray for the grace of God. In His kindness, He gives us the power to turn to Him and to remember His works. We are so prone to forgetting and turning from what He has called us to. This is crucial because there will be challenging days (verse 62). When we are tempted to give in, we recall God has given us a spiritual family who will hold us accountable. It is accountability for the sake of wisdom, namely the fear of the Lord. When we are looking to other things for satisfaction, we need others in our lives to encourage and exhort us that only the LORD can be our portion. As we rest hold of that and seek to grow in our relationship with God, we witness the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord (verse 64). Through the good days, the bad days, and all the days in between, God is enough. He sent Jesus to live the life we could not, die the sinner’s death we deserved, and rise again to show us Jesus is our portion. Will we believe it?

    Reflection Questions:

    1. What are you tempted to place as your portion other than God? Confess it to him.
    2. Who can help hold you accountable in your walk with the Lord? Ask them today.