Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 119:17-24
Psalms 119:17-24
Gimel
17 Do good to your servant, and I will live; I will obey your word. 18 Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. 19 I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me. 20 My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times. 21 You rebuke the arrogant who are cursed and who stray from your commands. 22 Remove from me scorn and contempt for I keep your statutes. 23 Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees. 24 Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.
Do we find joy in the word of God or do we just study because we feel we have to or we feel guilty when we don’t? When we find a really good book to read, it is hard to put it down and do other things. We become consumed with reading it and following the story until the end. Do we find this same excitement and joy when we read the Bible? Answer for yourself: when was the last time I read more than just a few verses at one sitting?
This last idea may be exactly why we don’t get more excited about reading God’s word. We read just a few verses at a sitting and wonder why we don’t get the meaning. In the Old Testament books of history, try reading the entire story being told before putting it down. In the New Testament, remember that most of the books were letters to a church or an individual and should be read as letters without regard to verse and chapter divisions which were added much later by men. If someone sent you a ten page letter, would you read a page a day or read it all together? So it is in our reading the Bible, we need to read all together what actually goes together. This will increase our interest and excitement.
Another reason for our excitement in studying and reading the word is because God has given it to us to supply us with all we need to know to please him and live for him. In doing this we will have the best life possible while here on earth. It is in his word that he reveals himself to us and gives us his wisdom for life. I heard of a business man who read the entire book of Proverbs every month and used it as his guide in doing his job. As with most things, the more we read the more we will want to read. The more we understand, the more we want to know.
O God, give me a greater desire to read and study your word and more joy in doing it each day. Give me patience to learn what it says and the wisdom to understand how to use it in my life. Help me know you and Jesus better so I will want be like you in every way possible. Increase my faith so I will trust you in all things and thus willingly follow your will for me. Thank you for those who have helped me in my understanding. I pray in the name of Jesus.
--Robert
