The Holy Word of God is our compass and a guide to help us through the days. I do long each morning to read and be in the word. To hear what my daddy has for me for the day – to get through and to have the wisdom that He wants to impart to me. I wait with baited breath to read the lectionary readings for the day…
And I have to admit sometimes it leaves me a little flat. I get nothing or I wonder why did I read that, or how can I do that…
Today would be one of those days…
The daily lectionary readings for the day according to the Daily Lectionary from the ELCA are:
Nehemiah 9:1-15
Ephesians 5:21—6:9
Psalm 119:97-104
All of these are great readings, and yet not really what I needed to day I guess, or maybe I’m not getting it…
But I read Psalm 119 again a few times…
Oh how I love your law!
It is my meditation all the day.
Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,
for it is ever with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers,
for your testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the aged,
for I keep your precepts.
I hold back my feet from every evil way,
in order to keep your word.
I do not turn aside from your rules,
for you have taught me.
How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Through your precepts I get understanding;
therefore I hate every false way.
(Psalm 119:97-104 ESV)
And I wondered about “Oh how I love your Law!” And with all of the discussions I’ve been having lately, it got me to thinking and chuckling…
How many of actually like rules and want to follow them? How many of us actually take seriously the law of God? And then we have to talk about what the Law of God is… Is it the 613 laws in the Hebrew Scripture? Is it the 10 Commandments? Notice most of the New Testament has no separation of the 10 Commandments from the other Laws. (Yes a few places Jesus expands on the what some of these mean, but the 10 Commandments are not held up as the best of the best…) So what is the law of God and how do we love it?
We understand your precepts and follow your code… For doing things the right way and pleasing the maker of the code… Jesus came and told us that those who follow the laws for the purpose of pleasing God are doing the wrong thing. The law was made for our benefit not to hold us captive. We are not suppose to know the law so we watch our selves so carefully we never do anything out of line, but we are suppose to live in such a love relationship with God that we have that love overflowing from our lives.
Don’t keep the law to please any one, because it won’t. Love God and Love neighbor through every last action of your life!
aSacredRebel 