Morning Moments

HE is the letter of the Hebrew alphabet that is the sub-title for the fifth section of Psalm 119:

33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.
36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.
37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.
38 Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.
39 Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.
40 Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.

Learning is a lifelong process. But to learn, we must seek to be taught. It is so easy as students of the Word of God to get stuck in the process. Some get stuck on the “salvation” message. It is all they know and all they preach. Others get stuck on the “deeper life” message and that is all they preach. I know preachers who have about 20 to 30 messages and that is all they preach. Still others get stuck on the “health and wealth” message and know very little else. We must both learn and teach the “whole counsel of God”. Some believers have never even read the entire Old Testament. A few get bogged down in the Gospels, Pauline Theology, Grace, Faith, and on and on. Balance is essential for effective learning and teaching. It is ALL, Old Testament and New Testament, Pentateuch and Prophets, Poets and Prophecy, a PART of the whole counsel of God. No part contradicts nor conflicts with the other, and if we do not see it all “dovetail” together, we have learned very little.

Throughout the psalm, the psalmist uses words like commandments, precepts, oracles, testimonies, statutes, judgments, law, etc. It is not without significance that these different words are used, and we shall look at each individually later.

Somehow we seem to think that the God of the Old Testament is one God and the God of the New Testament is another. Just because we are part of the “Church”, which is the body of Christ, and not “Israel”, which is the chosen NATION of God does not mean that does not demand the same obedience of both, as well as judgment for both.

Our desire as New Testament Christians who are members in particular of the body of Christ must learn to rightly divide the Word of Truth by continuing to LEARN. THAT was the desire of the psalmist here and should be ours.

Having said all that, let’s look more closely at what is said in the text.

Teach me and I will keep.
Give me and I shall observe.
Make me and I do delight.
Incline my heart.
Turn away my eyes.
Stablish me.
Quicken me.
FOR I LONG FOR THEE!
But what does all this mean to me? Is it different now with me than it was then with him? Is my delight any different than the psalmist of old? Does God require less of me than He did of him?

BE SURE OF THIS! In every age, at every stage, in everyone, at anytime WE must Learn and HE will teach.

BLESSINGS!