SLOW OBEDIENCE IS DISOBEDIENCE

I remember when I was asked (told) to do something by my parents.  I might complain and ask why I had to do this but for the most part I would EVENTUALLY do what they asked me to do.  But I have to be honest - many times they had to give me a deadline.  They would say Mark you need to clean your room before you can go anywhere.  So I would wait and wait and trying to put it off as long as possible.  If a friend called and invited me to go and play some football or shoot baskets I had to say no because no matter how much I promised to do it later my Mom and Dad knew me better than that.  You would think I would learn.  But the more irksome the task the longer I waited to do it.  And I missed out things I would rather have done because I did not obey sooner rather than later.  So as I read these verses the challenge obedience came back to me in a whole new light. 

Psalm 119:59-60 (HCS) I thought about my ways and turned my steps back to Your decrees. [60] I hurried, not hesitating to keep Your commands.

Psalm 119:59-60 (NLT)  I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your laws. [60] I will hurry, without delay, to obey your commands.

I love the fact that the Psalmist was pondering and thinking about his life and the direction he was going.  At that point he decided he was going the WRONG way and TURNED back (that is called repentance) to God’s Word with the desire to obey.  The phrase perhaps reflects the fact that the writer had drifted away from following God faithfully.  Because when he turns back he HURRIES to OBEY.  He does NOT hesitate, he does not stall for time, he does try to put it off for another day, or another time.  He has seen that he was wrong - he has turned back to God and His Word.  Now there is a determined desire a commitment to follow through immediately without hesitation in full wholehearted obedience.  How do we respond when God shows us that there is something in our lives that displeases Him?  We should think about it and look into God’s Word and then Hurry without any Hesitation or Delay to OBEY.  If we know what we are supposed to do and we put it off then we are choosing to stay in our rebellion and disobedience.

PRAYER:  O Lord, help me to ponder my life regularly in LIGHT of Your Word.  Lord, please help me to think clearly - guide my thinking by Your Word and Your Holy Spirit - help me to OBEY.  Keep me from putting it off - give me Your strength to be able to OBEY You with ALL my heart.  Help me Lord God to HURRY to Obey Your Word. 

WARNING! WARNING! REWARD

Many years ago I was hired by a law firm to translate at a deposition on a law suit.  I did a lot of translating in courts so I accepted this job.  I did not realize that the deposition would take 7 hours.  The whole time that I was translating the lawyers from the other side had another translator listening to make sure that I did not make any mistakes.  It was exhausting work.  Why?   Because I trying to be as precise as possible so that the questions and answers were translated accurately. I understood that the outcome of the case might be determined by my translation.  Having experience in translating has made me even more thankful for the fact that we have several very good English translations of the Bible.  I know that when I translate something there are times when there are several good and accurate options for how something is translated.  As I look at different translations of the Bible it makes me think and compare the words and phrases. Many times it is just a word that is used differently or in a different order that catches my attention. But as I compare them, I’m thinking and praying and asking God to touch me with HIS WORD. When it comes to the poetry of the Old Testament we know it is very difficult to capture the essence of the Hebrew perfectly. That is another reason I love looking at 3-4 different translations when I am studying. Let’s look at these verses together.

Psalm 19:11-14 (NLT) They [God’s Commands] are a warning to those who hear them; there is great reward for those who obey them. [12] How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. [13] Keep me from deliberate sins! Don't let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. [14] May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Life Application Study Bible: When we think of instructions, decrees, and commandments, we might think of rules that keep us from having fun. But here we see the opposite: God's laws revive us, make us wise, bring joy to the heart, give insight, warn us, and reward us. God's laws are guidelines and lights for our path, rather than chains on our hands and feet. They point at danger to warn us, and then point at success to guide us.  

 

David tells us that God’s Word is a WARNING, to anyone who will listen, to anyone who will seek to hear what God has to say.  God’s Word exposes those sins and faults that we keep hidden away. I Love David’s prayer... “don’t let them (sins) control me.”  Am I willing to pray like David that sin would have no part in controlling my life? The last verse reminds us of what our attitude should be each day. We should pray that All the words that come out of our mouths and All the thoughts that travel around in our minds might please and honor God.  

PRAYER: Lord God, you know everything including my thoughts and my motives. Please Lord, help my thoughts to be focused on You and Your Word. Help me to be so completely captivated by Your Word that I am changed by it. May that change be so dramatic that my

words and thoughts actually reflect You accurately and completely.