Reflections
“The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.”
This Sunday's Psalm celebrates the law of the Lord,
first given to the Israelites that day on Mt. Sinai in the
desert when Moses received God's commandments.
(Exodus 20:1-17)
As the Psalm says, “The law of the Lord is perfect,
refreshing the soul.”
refreshing the soul.”
But more than a set of rules that we cannot hope
to follow, God’s commandments give us wisdom;
they ‘rejoice our hearts; they are more desirable
than gold, sweeter also than honey.’
to follow, God’s commandments give us wisdom;
they ‘rejoice our hearts; they are more desirable
than gold, sweeter also than honey.’
The Word is the same way; even though we may be
convicted by the Word, our Savior Lord Jesus came
to fulfill the law and make us right with the Lord.
convicted by the Word, our Savior Lord Jesus came
to fulfill the law and make us right with the Lord.
And just as the disciples came to believe in the
scriptures when Jesus was raised, we too know
Him as the ‘Word made flesh,’ the one who
perfected the ‘wisdom of God.’
scriptures when Jesus was raised, we too know
Him as the ‘Word made flesh,’ the one who
perfected the ‘wisdom of God.’
Our Psalmist David shows us that obeying the law
does not prevent us from being happy. Instead,
obeying the Law “brings much reward.”
does not prevent us from being happy. Instead,
obeying the Law “brings much reward.”
We may think of statutes as something intended
to control us or restrict us, but as our psalmist
explains, the law of the Lord is in fact a source of joy,
something to be desired, because the law gives us
wisdom and provides us with something
to control us or restrict us, but as our psalmist
explains, the law of the Lord is in fact a source of joy,
something to be desired, because the law gives us
wisdom and provides us with something
we can trust.
Today’s Psalm tells us about the joy that is stirred up
in our hearts when we follow the Lord’s commands.
in our hearts when we follow the Lord’s commands.
“The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.”
The Word and the statutes endure forever.
They are refreshing to the soul; they enlighten the eye.
It is through the Word that we know His commandments
and through this Psalm that we know His law is a source
of refreshment, a source of joy.
of refreshment, a source of joy.
His statutes do not bind us, they set us free.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist says that the ordinances of the Lord are 'sweeter than honey.'
How can it be that, instead of being harsh, the commandments of the Lord
are sweet to the taste? Explain.
2. Our psalmist says that the commandments of the Lord are a source of joy --
they 'rejoice the heart.' Tell about how obeying the commandments can be a
source of joy in your life.
1. Our psalmist says that the ordinances of the Lord are 'sweeter than honey.'
How can it be that, instead of being harsh, the commandments of the Lord
are sweet to the taste? Explain.
2. Our psalmist says that the commandments of the Lord are a source of joy --
they 'rejoice the heart.' Tell about how obeying the commandments can be a
source of joy in your life.
The descriptive language of this Psalm passage resonates well with me. As verse 10 says, "More to be desired are they than gold; even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb." How rare and even odd it might feel to have laws described this way.
ReplyDeleteThe key here is these aren't just civil laws for society, but God's laws for the good of our souls. For the JOY of our souls.
A Lenten devotional of mine reads, "The Ten Commandments help us live the practical implications of loving both God and neighbor." When we love the Lord our God above all else and treat our neighbor the way we wish to be treated, we reap more than the practical blessings. A spirit-filled peace washes over us.
Our Creator knows that love is what sets us free. The God who rescued his chosen people from slavery, continues to this day to rescue his beloveds from bondage to sin. As we strive to follow his laws, we become more like him.
ReplyDeleteI just had to comment on this week's lesson - because indeed "The Law of the Lord is Perfect, Refreshing
the Soul"! God knows our needs better than we do, and He knows we are inclined to sin, and our Lord
loves us so much that He wants to help us refrain from doing so, He loves us so much that He laid out rules
for us to live by and this indeed sets us free, refreshing our soul and making life and salvation easier!
We as humans crave discipline and rules from which to live, much as a child craves discipline from the
child's parents. To me God's laws and rules to live by for us is analogous to a parent who loves the child
profusely, as God loves us, enough to save the child from a life of wrong doing!
This in turn refreshes the soul of the child and in essence "sets him or her free" - and it is an act
of pure love. Growing up, we were told by our parents "if the root of the tree is planted straight, the
tree will grow straight....but if the root of the tree is planted crooked... the tree will grow crooked"!
It is tantamount to our Lord's love for us, enough to give us these precious rules by which to live our lives
and it indeed refreshes our soul and sets us free from the misery & ramifications of sin! That is pure love..
Thanks for sending this wonderful lesson!
Jan Hammond