Delight!

I am studying Psalm 1 this week and this morning I was especially drawn to verse 2 where it says "But his delight is on the law of the Lord"... now the but means instead of what verse 1 talks about.. instead of walking in the counsel of wicked, standing in the way of sinners or sitting in the seat of mockers, the blessed man delights in the law of the Lord.

The Hebrew the word for Law refers to the 1st 5 books of the Old Testament.. the Torah.. but we can also look at the Law as the entire Word of God from Genesis to Revelation.

So the question is... do you delight in it?

Jer. 15:16 says "When your words came, I ate them and they were my joy and my heart's delight for I bear your name O Lord God Almighty." Do you feel that way when you read His word.. when a verse pops to mind at just the right time?

Over and over we read about delighting in the Law or in His Word... here are just a FEW verses..

Ps. 112:1 Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in His commands.

All of these are from Ps. 119 --

v. 16 I delight in Your decrees
v. 24 Your statues are my delight; they are my counsel
v. 35 Direct me in the path of Your commands for there I find delight
v. 47 I delight in Your commands because I love them
v. 70 ... O delight in Your law.
v. 77 ... Your law is my delight
v. 92 If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my afflictions

Romans 7:22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law

Don't you want that? to delight in His Word. The key is to spend time in it AND to ask God to make it the delight of your heart. He will do it!

So why should we delight in His Word? Ps. 19:7-11 gives us a few reasons..

The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the LORD are sure
and altogether righteous.
They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the comb.
By them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.

Add to that the fact that Jesus is the Word made flesh and that the Word endures forever... and the question becomes why NOT delight in it? What better could you delight in?

Oh Father, how I praise You for Your precious Word. You did not leave us to fend for ourselves. You left all we need in the 66 love letters You wrote for us. I pray that our hearts will be drawn to You and to Your Word and that it will be the delight of our hearts. That we cannot get enough of it! Give us a hunger for the things of You, Lord. In Jesus' precious powerful name I pray, Amen.

Walking Through the Psalms

Years ago, a wonderful Titus 2 woman in my life told me about something she did in her quiet time. She had learned about this in a Bible study she took. She read through the Psalms in 30 days and along the way she noted things she learned about God... His attributes, character, names. I loved the idea, so I decided to take my own walk through the Psalms. I kept a notebook and would write out verses and then what I learned about God. It was a wonderful adventure..... one I recommend to anyone who wants to know God better... I still have the notebook and have pulled it out over the years.

Recently our pastor mentioned that he was doing this....going through the Psalms... noting what he learns about God. I have been doing some hit and miss (mostly miss) in my quiet time and so this morning the Psalms came to mind again.. I decided to take a walk again....

So today I read through Psalms 1 - 3... read them out loud... more than once... found some exciting things and God led me to other verses that connect... I love seeing the connections in the Word!

Here are the things I noted in my journal.....

Ps 1 verse 6... God watches over the way of the righteous.... Thank you Lord that I am made righteous through the blood of Jesus! (2 Cor 5:21 God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God.)... God watches over my way....

Ps 2 v 12 tells us that we are blessed when we take refuge in God... Deut 33:27 says The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemy before you, saying "Destroy him!" .... Thank You, Father, for going before me... driving out my enemy.... You do this as You watch over my way... You are my refuge!

Ps 3 v 3 But you are a shield around me, O Lord, You bestow glory on me and lift up my head... I love this verse... I never have to walk around with my head hung in shame... or scared to look up into the face of God... HE lifts up my head...

Ps 3 also shows an active tense God.... the Lord answers me (v 4) .... sustains me (v. 5).... delivers me (v 8)....

Thank You, Abba Father, for being an active God... a participating Father.. present in my life, not an absentee! I thank You for the righteousness I have in Jesus and for the blessings that it brings... help me to walk in a way which is worthy of Your righteousness.

Thank You for being my refuge... that safe harbor needed in a storm... for hearing my cries.. my ranting and rambling,.. and answering me with Your truth.

Thank You for being my sustainer and delivered.. my shield... the one who lifts up my head. May I walk in the knowledge of these truths today.