September 17 – When Affliction Has Value

“It is good for me that I was afflicted,
     that I might learn your statutes.
The law of your mouth is better to me
     than thousands of gold and silver pieces.” – Psalm 119:71-72 (ESV)

 

Each verse in Psalm 119 uses one of eight different words to focuses us on the Word of God. The terms  used have different meanings but each is a reference to Holy Scripture. Because the Psalms were written before New Testament times the psalmists had in mind the Scriptures they knew. The psalms were written by different composers guided by the Holy Spirit and then collected into what we have as the Book of Psalms. Today, these citations include the whole Bible as we have it. First we recognize the value of tough times, difficult days⸺even days of affliction (v.71). Even those times when others cause grief and heartache. Nobody really likes to be afflicted but we can recognize that God uses it to teach us to trust him. The next verse tells us how valuable are the words from God’s law, that come from His mouth. Worth more than a large pile of gold and silver. God’s law and testimonies, his precepts and statutes, his commandments and judgments, his word and ordinances are all given  to us for our benefit. We have all this blessing so that we may know God in a more intimate way.

 

 197

 

October 23 – Easy and Light When Together

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  Matthew 11:29-30 (NASB)

Life can become very arduous and difficult.  Our circumstances, situations and happenings can bear down upon us.  Jesus cares about us and this is an invitation extended  by Him to those who are weary and over-loaded.  It was part of His teaching when He was here on earth. The illustration He uses is the common practice of joining two animals together to accomplish needed task.  An inexperienced animal would learn how to pull together with one that knew how. Jesus wants to bring us close to Himself so that we will learn how to accomplish God’s will under His teaching. He wants us to learn how to work with Him for our own good. And as we work closely with Him we learn to trust Him to help us live as we should.  And in trusting Him we will have peace and spiritual rest. Let us respond to Him today for He promises that His yoke is easy and His burden is light because He is with us. 

# # #

May 16 – Learn and Obey

“You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.” John 13:13 (NASB)

During His time on this earth, while he was teaching people about Himself and who He was, Jesus gave several names by which people could refer to Him.  We see two in today's verse. These are the names which were used especially by Jesus' disciples and express what Jesus Christ was for them. The same names represent what Jesus is for us too. He is our Teacher and is involved in our lives daily teaching us truths which we need to know. So what should our reaction be? We need to be open to His teaching and we should be learning lessons from Him all through our lives.  Jesus is our Lord and we call Him Lord but let's not forget that this requires obedience. We must obey our Lord.  As we think of these two names, let's remember to be learning and obeying Him each day. What He teaches us gives us direction for our lives which we need to follow – learn and obey what we learn.

April 21

“The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.”  Isaiah 50:4 (NIV)

It sounds like the prophet is speaking from his own experience. We recognize, however, that some of the verses that follow seem to refer to the experiences of Jesus who suffered for us. So why do we read this verse? It is because God does sometimes deal with us as he did with prophets and even with His own Son while He was here. Is it not true that we awaken sometimes with thoughts of the Lord, and we realize He is teaching us? He knows what we need to learn. Let’s listen to Him – in the morning and through the day.