a child of god
this is the way, run in it
![]() I love getting side-swiped by God's word! I'm reading in Psalm 119 today, the longest of the psalms in the Bible, and picked up where I left off yesterday at verse 97. Verses 97-104 are a little section of their own, and they start off like this. O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, they are mine forever! So how do we fight our battles in life? By knowing God's word, the Bible. By eating it daily. By meditating on it throughout our day. By actively training our feet to walk a righteous path (choosing to do the right thing at every decision point in our day), and by actively restraining our feet from going down evil paths (choosing not to do the wrong thing, choosing not to sin). We do all this so that we actually live out what we read in God's word, following His righteous holy ways. Why do we do this? The psalmist goes on to say, "I haven't turned aside from following Your ways, God! because You Yourself have taught me." The psalmist, and we, do this because we are in a relationship with God Himself. Because He loves us, and has called us to be part of His family, died for us to redeem us and pay for our sins; because He loves us, and He teaches us His ways, we follow Him! When He teaches us, we do it! Have you ever tried to teach someone else? It's not easy! They have to be willing to learn, admit that you know enough to teach them, and want to gain the understanding that you have to give to them. How often do we put each other's backs up when we try to instruct each other (which actually isn't godly as we should be willing to learn from one another, but that's another blog!)? But when God teaches us - that is different! There is something about His voice that brings understanding, that convicts of sin but speaks of forgiveness and love. Here is what the psalmist says, How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, they are sweeter than honey to my mouth! From Your truths I gain understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Sweeter than honey! And good for us. This reminds me of my mother-in-law, Mom Ball, as I call her. When she is dieting and wants something sweet, she will taste a spoonful of honey. A taste of honey on our lips, in our mouth, evokes a feeling of goodness, sweetness. It reminds me of summer days, with bees humming gently in the garden, going from flower to flower, and of the fruit that will follow that pollination. It also reminds me of the spiritual insight that God's word brings to me, like a light bulb going on in my spirit, mind and heart - a new understanding gained from spending time with God and reading His word. It makes me want to shout about it! Hence, this blog. It makes me want to walk out that understanding in my daily life - which I pray God will help me do.
So I say this prayer, Lord God, please help me today to think and meditate on Your word that I've read this morning. Please help me to walk it out and make good, righteous choices along my path today. Please keep me from responding in a sinful way to any challenges this day may bring. And may You and I, Father God, go through this day hand in hand. May Your joy rise in my heart, and please, help me to love the people You bring my way - that they may see You. In Jesus' name, amen.
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Franci Ballwatching and working for the kingdom of God in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham - UK Archives
January 2019
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