Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 119:129-136
Psalms 119:129-136
Pe
129 Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them. 130 The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. 131 I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands. 132 Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name. 133 Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me. 134 Redeem me from the oppression of men, that I may obey your precepts. 135 Make your face shine upon your servant and teach me your decrees. 136 Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed.
When we open the Bible and study what it says for us, how do we view it? Do we see a list of rules that are hard to keep? Do we see it as oppressive, binding and something that ruins all of our fun? When the word “Bible” is mentioned, do we smile or frown? These will be answered by our perception of God and his dealings with mankind. They will also be determined by our attitude toward life.
As I was looking over my wife’s Facebook account, it dawned on me how some people always post things that bring a smile to our face while others seem to have a bad attitude toward life and post only complaints. On several occasions my wife has commented that a certain person she doesn’t know well seems to enjoy life so much and is so happy. I know looks can be deceiving. Some people seem to always have a smile but it is only covering a heavy heart or a life of abuse.
What the Psalmist tells us is that even when our enemies are trying to destroy us and when life seems to have fallen in around us, we can still rejoice. When Paul was in prison for preaching Jesus, he wrote that we are to rejoice in the Lord always. On another occasion while in prison for helping a young girl, he was singing praises at midnight. We can find joy in serving God.
The word of God is given to give us life. Jesus is the Word and he said he came to not only give us life but that we might have it abundantly. When we trust the one behind the word, the giver of the word and the giver of life, we can find joy, even in the midst of trials. We count our blessings and know that God will see us through our problems. We rejoice in the opportunity to help others.
O God, thank you for your wonderful words of life. Thank you for Jesus, who gave up his place in heaven to live here on earth as one of us and then died in my place and for my sin. Thank you for raising him from the grave so I can have hope. In the knowledge of living for Jesus I find peace and rest. Give me greater faith so I can always trust you, no matter what I face. In that trust, help me have a joyful heart and thus be able to rejoice and lift others up at the same time. Thank you for the beauty of the earth and the skies. I pray in the name of Jesus my Lord.
--Robert
