"With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I may not sin against You."
Psalm 119:10-11
Everyone loves the Psalms. They are transparently gut wrenching and honest revealing the highs and lows of life. I go to them often and hope you do too. However, I do have a favorite psalm. It is Psalm 119. It is the longest Psalm in the Bible containing 176 verses. I recommend only reading a few at a time, and meditate on them. Write them down in a journal and strive to memorize them. They are wonderful to teach your children and grandchildren.
I must confess when I first read Psalm 119 I was so taken by how much David loved reading and meditating on God’s Word. I was a young believer at the time, and I had not developed this kind of love in my heart for the Word of God, so I turned the verses in Psalm 119 into prayers. They all became the cry of my heart, because I remembered how God described David as a man after God’s own heart. I wanted to be that kind of woman with all my heart. Looking back over the past 45 years of following Him, He has been faithful to answer those prayers. It has been an ongoing process.
I do love reading His Word because I know I am eating the Bread of Life. I am eating Jesus’ own body as He referred to in John 6:53-56:
So Jesus said to them,
"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me and I in him."
John also tells us in the beginning was the Word and the Word was God.
(John 1:1)
It also states in John 1:14:
"The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth."
What beautiful verses clarifying the Word of God is God, and Jesus! The Bible is not to be read only academically. If it is, you only have head knowledge and religion. It must be spiritually discerned with revelation from the Holy Spirit within us. It is the only thing that has the power to help me change to become like the Trinity. That is true for all of us. If your life has not been radically changed you must question your salvation. The Bible is full of accounts of changed lives. In order to be one of His own you must come to know Him intimately, and He must know you intimately as David reveals in Psalm 119. Loving the Trinity is synonymous with loving the Word of God. I love this Psalm because I learned that truth from repeatedly reading Psalm119. It conveys the truth that the Word of God contains everything man needs to know.
As it states in our beginning verses when we seek God through His Word it keeps us from wandering away from the straight and narrow path that leads to life. Knowing His commandments keeps us from sinning against our Lord and suffering the consequences it brings to us and those around us.
Eventually we will be able to proclaim with David in verse 20:
"My soul is crushed with longing after Your ordinances at all times."
I so want that to be true in my life, and I hope you do too. This Psalm is loaded with verses worthy of the time it takes to write your favorites in a journal and meditate and memorize them. They will become your delight and your counselors! They will bring great comfort and peace in your life. David learned how to encourage Himself in the Word. I am so thankful He kept a journal full of Psalms he prayed to the Lord. I am sure when He was writing them in the tenth century BC he had no idea you and I would still be reading them in 2023 AD. My prayer is this devotional will motivate you to go to Psalm 119 and allow God to give you a heart for His Word as David acquired. Keep a journal of your prayers as he did. It is the greatest gift you can leave your family. It enables you to share His Word even after death, knowing it will bring the abundant life to those you love.
In His love.
Teresa Roberts
Masterpiece Fitness
276-237-6680
I was blessed to spend the weekend with my daughter and her wonderful family. We celebrated senior night at Isaiah’s first football game this year as they recognized the seniors! They won 49-0! We also celebrated Anna’s 14th birthday at lake Tilley tubing and swimming enjoying their boat! A truly joyous time❣️
