“O Lord, you have searched me and known me!”
And so begins a deeply comforting Psalm, #139.
It is a Psalm that is based on the greatness of God. Our loving Father, who never leaves us, who orders our days, and knows ours hearts better even than we. Go to him with the Psalmist and ask:
“And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”
How great is our God!
Psalms 139:1, 24 ESV https://www.bible.com/bible/59/psa.139.1,24.esv
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One of the incredible comforts of God is who he is, his nature, his attributes, his character.
The angels sing “holy, holy, holy” – how fabulous that will be, to hear and see! But that’s then, this is now.
So, the wisest thing for me each morning is to dwell with my father and contemplate his greatness and his steadfastness. See, that steadfastness is rooted in God’s holiness.
And so, with David I cry:
“Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love, and teach me your statutes.
I am your servant; give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies!” (Psalms 119:124-125 ESV)
To contemplate and grow in my knowledge of God, what a joy!
Each morning, to begin each day reading his word, hearing his voice, speaking my heart and receiving forgiveness after confession, what a joy, what a privilege.
How can I forsake such an honor?
How can I ignore such an invitation?
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Sometimes I’m told that people feel that “having a quiet time” or “doing their devotions” feels like checking a box.
I get that.
So what?
I would even suggest that ESPECIALLY then is it important to be reminded of God’s promises.
Indeed, when we just ✅ the box, we are actively cultivating a heart to love God’s word, so that we can agree with the Psalmist:
“Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.”
Psalms 119:49-50 ESV
My hope is is the Lord, not my devotions. They are just a tool to ready my heart to hear and have life!
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We stumble because we’re human. As disciples of Jesus, I thank God that it is not my skill, ability or strength that enables me to go on. It is Christ in me…
consider and be thankful, fellow disciple….
“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”
Jude 1:24-25 ESV
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When we dwell daily, even several times a day, on a Scripture, it becomes etched in our memory…
Here’s one:
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After a thorough description of the power, justice and sovereignty of God, the Psalmist says:
“Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.” (Psalms 107:43 ESV)
In a similar fashion, 2 Peter states:
“This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder,” (2 Peter 3:1 ESV)
Peter then reminds them of the sovereignty of God over time and our future hope. (God has a plan – he is in charge – so we rejoice in his plan, especially when we think we know better.)
Immediately afterward, Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, states:
“Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these [the coming of the Lord], be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters.”
[Peter, writing near the end of his life, notes the importance of Paul’s letters. Paul is also in Rome and is near execution, if not dead already.]
“There are some things in them [Paul’s letters] that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.”
[“other Scriptures” – Peter just affirmed that the early church read Paul’s letters as Scripture “according to the wisdom given him.”]
Fragment of the letter to Romans (Bible Museum, D.C.)
He continues:
“You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:14-18 ESV
Amen indeed!
Glory to God alone for the gift of the Scriptures to guide us today and help us grow!
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