Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 119:89-96
Ps 119:89-96 Lamedh
Your word, O LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you. If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life. Save me, for I am yours; I have sought out your precepts. The wicked are waiting to destroy me, but I will ponder your statutes. To all perfection I see a limit; but your commands are boundless.
Matt 5:19-20
Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
David loved the Lord and therefore loved his word. He was a man after the heart of God and sought to please the Lord in all things. His obedience was to honor God and to bring glory to him and his cause. For the Pharisees, it was different. For them, it was a matter of keeping the Law, as they interpreted it and as they made application to it. Their pride was in their own abilities to obey and in so doing, they sought glory for themselves and not for God who gave it.
Both read the Law. Both kept the Law to the best of their ability. Both claimed a love for God. But the difference was what was in the heart of each of them. We must never think so highly of ourselves that we begin to believe that truth is determined by our understanding of the Word. It is then that we tend to become self- righteous and we look at others with disdain because they are not as good or holy as we think we are. We must practice, to the very best of our ability, what we understand to be the truth, but aways realize we can be wrong. God’s word is truth. My understanding is fallible. This means I judge me by the Word and let God judge others (and me) in mercy with grace. After all, that is my only hope!
O Lord God, infinite in wisdom, infinite in power, and eternal in being, I am so thankful to be your child and to know that you care about me. Help me to never think more highly of myself than I should and to always put the needs and cares of others ahead of myself. Use me to serve those around me and to honor you in all I do. Lord, I have friends who are hurting so deeply, but are trying to hide it and carry on as though it is not true. Use me to help them but even more, fill them with the peace that only you can give as they fully trust you. In Jesus name.
Robert
