גGIMEL.
“Deal bountifully with Your servant, that I may live and keep Your word. Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law. I am a stranger on the earth; do not hide Your commandments from me.
My soul is consumed with longing for Your judgments at all times. You rebuke the arrogant—the cursed who stray from Your commandments. Remove my scorn and contempt, for I have kept Your testimonies.
Though rulers sit and slander me, Your servant meditates on Your statutes. Your testimonies are indeed my delight; they are my counselors.”
ד DALETH.
“My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to Your word. I recounted my ways, and You answered me; teach me Your statutes. Make clear to me the way of Your precepts; then I will meditate on Your wonders. My soul melts with sorrow; strengthen me according to Your word. Remove me from the path of deceit and graciously grant me Your law.
I have chosen the way of truth; I have set Your ordinances before me. I cling to Your testimonies, O LORD; let me not be put to shame. I run in the path of Your commandments, for You will enlarge my heart.”
“Deal bountifully with Your servant, that I may live and keep Your word. Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law. I am a stranger on the earth; do not hide Your commandments from me.” Face it, folks, if God in His mercy refuses to deal bountifully with us, we are toast. But if we are going to beg God for mercy, we must keep our part of the bargain; we must study God’s law and His commandments.
“My soul is consumed with longing for Your judgments at all times.” What actually consumes our souls? Do we really care about God’s judgements? If we have a passion for the pure and holy, the answer is yes.
“You rebuke the arrogant—the cursed who stray from Your commandments. Remove my scorn and contempt, for I have kept Your testimonies. Though rulers sit and slander me, Your servant meditates on Your statutes. Your testimonies are indeed my delight; they are my counselors.” God knows human hearts, and God knows those who are arrogant and those who slander others, no matter how they might try to present themselves as virtuous. The more we read God’s word and think about its meanings, the more knowledge and peace we will gain. That peace will allow us to make wise decisions.
““My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to Your word. I recounted my ways, and You answered me; teach me Your statutes. Make clear to me the way of Your precepts; then I will meditate on Your wonders. My soul melts with sorrow; strengthen me according to Your word. Remove me from the path of deceit and graciously grant me Your law.” God’s wisdom gives us guidance, comfort, hope, and encouragement.
“I have chosen the way of truth; I have set Your ordinances before me. I cling to Your testimonies, O LORD; let me not be put to shame. I run in the path of Your commandments, for You will enlarge my heart.” Trust God and sooner or later, you may find yourself stepping out in faith, hoping that you won’t wind up with a disaster.
APPLICATION: In these verses, the psalmist expresses both his faith and his uncertainty. In the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, there’s a scene where the hero is faced with crossing a seemingly bottomless chasm. Only a narrow invisible bridge will allow the hero to cross safely. The hero sprinkles a handful of sand onto the path and then steps out, hoping that the bridge will hold him and that he will make it safely to the other side.
Sometimes, trusting God and following His commandments feels a great deal like the scene in that movie. We want to trust God, but ultimately we must step out, hoping and praying that He will bring us safely through to the other side. When we left for Ghana in December 1992, we faced an uncertain situation. Would the community accept us? Would we be able to function in a situation with no electricity or running water? Would I be able to do surgery in a small health center where I had only two trained assistants and a few workers who had been trained on the job? We had family and friends who advised us that this move was a terrible idea and we were likely to fail. But God had given us the conviction that He was leading us and that He would help us.
Not only did we face several challenges, but one year after coming to that small village, we found ourselves during a tribal conflict. But God continued to provide people and equipment. Today that small health center has become a 112-bed district hospital with 250 workers. Today, we continue to expand our services, offering 24/7 care in Ob/Gyn, General Surgery, Eye, Dental, Pediatrics, and General Medicine.
Today, we continue to be guided by God’s Word and to study it. Our daily prayer remains “Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law.“ Pray that prayer and then allow God’s Holy Spirit to guide you as you study His Word. The results are well worth it.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, open our eyes that we may see wonderful things from Your law. Help us to study Your law, memorize Your law, and use Your law as our guide. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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