Reflections
"Lord, I love your commands."
Our
psalmist is in prayer,
expressing
his love for the Lord's commands,
and
promising to keep His words.
We
may not have the wisdom of Solomon,
but
we have enough discernment to recognize
how
powerful the Lord's decrees can be in our
spiritual
lives. Just as the law of the Lord
is
precious to our psalmist, so too is the law
of
the Lord central to our lives and to our faith.
Our
psalmist says that the Lord's decrees are
wonderful,
and therefore he observes them.
We may not always think of the law as wonderful
We may not always think of the law as wonderful
(some
people may consider it restrictive),
but
if we learn to do His will,
we
find that we are liberated,
set free from the sin that drags us down.
set free from the sin that drags us down.
We
choose life instead of death.
Doing
God's will (keeping his commandments)
isn't
easy, but having received His grace,
and
having been granted discernment
to
know right from wrong, good from evil,
we
can follow Him with conviction.
Our
'yes' will mean 'yes' to the Lord,
and
our 'no' will mean
'no'
to the devil and his minions.
Having decided to do His will,
we
take delight in keeping His statutes;
they
are like honey to us.
And the blessings we receive
And the blessings we receive
are
part of what God has prepared
for
those who love Him.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist says he observes the Lord's commandments because they are wonderful
and they shed light. Explain why you are committed to follow the Lord's decrees.
2. The Psalm assures us that we go forward if we follow God's precepts, and in so doing
we avoid every false way. Speak of how God's commandments protect you on your
journey of faith and draw you closer to God.
"Lord, I love your commands." This is our psalmist's prayer. He knows that by reading God's Word and keeping His law, we can find strength and the wisdom to know what is right from wrong. And our psalmist recognizes how powerful the Lord’s decrees can be in our lives.
ReplyDeleteI will make the Psalm's prayer to be mine, "Lord, I love your commands." God's laws and commandments lead me on the way to eternal life. His decrees are a road map. His precepts help me follow His path so that I can choose life instead of death.
And while on my journey of faith, I could receive His grace, blessings, and moreover knowledge and good judgement. My life is preserved from the deceitful way, and I draw near to our Lord by following His precepts. They are my guiding light while on earth.
The Lord's precepts truly are for our own peace and well-being. For example, honoring my father and mother establishes a divine design for family, with clear respect for authority. Not coveting a neighbor's blessings, allows my heart to find contentment in my own station of life. Not committing murder includes not killing my child's spirit, and therefore offers parenting wisdom. The Lord's laws, including the 10 commandments, are a manual for life.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny how we sometimes think following the commandments is what we do for the Lord, as if He benefits from it? It is really the other way around. The Lord gives us this guide or code of thought and behavior so that we can taste wisdom, mercy, and happiness this side of heaven.
Thankfully, when our hearts are not as willing to follow, He sends us His Spirit to prompt us in the right direction. In His omniscience and benevolence, Abba Father stoops down to share with me and actually misses me when I choose my own way. He also welcomes me back each time, showing me firsthand what the gift of forgiveness feels like.
I am grateful for the decrees of the Lord.