Skipping Over Mountains

Before we move on, I wanted to remind you guys that we are skipping vast mountains of delicious scripture. BTW that picture is Mt. Baker, which is my view (if it’s clear) when I drive to and from work every day! WOW! Ps 119 is divided into sections of 8 to 10 verses organized by the Hebrew alphabet. Our first verse was from the “Aleph” section, and Ps 119:11 was from the “Beth” section. Before we leave “Beth” behind, I wanted to take a random look at all of them and give you a bit of the taste of what we are skipping.

SCRIPTURE

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By keeping it according to Your word.
10 With all my heart I have sought You;
Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
11 Your word I have treasured in my heart,
That I may not sin against You.
12 Blessed are You, O LORD;
Teach me Your statutes.
13 With my lips I have told of
All the ordinances of Your mouth.
14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on Your precepts
And regard Your ways.
16 I shall delight in Your statutes;
I shall not forget Your word.

PRAYER

Lord, there is none of us who does good, not one. Our sin is not a theory or something to be easily glossed over; we praise You for Your integrity, that only at the expense of Jesus’ blood are we able to approach You and look upon these commands. Have mercy on us Lord, and teach us, so that we can more and more live the holy and powerful and beautiful lives You desire for us. AMEN!

LESSON

v.9: The way to purity is not brow-beating or resolve or will. It is the word of God.
v.10: One can seek Him with all the heart, and still be in danger of wandering.
v.11: We pretty well know this verse, don’t we?
v.12: It is not study nor the intelligence of man that teaches us, but the Holy Spirit.
v.13: Hiding in the heart is good, but sometimes it is good to open your mouth and say the right thing. We need to to speak the WORD to each other.
v.14: This is such a great verse. Great great great great great.
v.15: So much to say about meditating. It is not emptying the mind as much as mulling over the word.
v.16: the key to memorizing the word of God is to delight in it.

Assignment

Take v.14, and take 15 to 30 minutes, and write out as many insights as you can do. Pray before you do it, for the Lord to teach you and guide you. Make that verse a treasure and a delight to yourself. Mull over each word, the key to it may be a single word that you gloss over.

The Japanese have a concept called “beginner’s mind.” This means that you come to things not knowing, not as the expert, not with experience, but as a child coming with wonder, the first time. Don’t come to this with knowledge of theology and other passages and such. That can be done later, and you don’t want to be a fool. However, come to this, and be taught, be someone who knows nothing and is coming to learn. Do it like THAT.