SCRIP-BITS

Psalm 119:176.        I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.

And it’s Tuesday friends, Tuesday of Christmas week, the eve of Christmas Eve. (smile) That means there’s only today and tomorrow to get all your preparations in order before the big day falls upon us on Thursday. And I guess when I said yesterday that there were only two more days left for Christmas shopping, I must not have counted Monday, but in these modern times we shop right up to Christmas day. We can even by stuff on Christmas day, which shows how far we’ve moved past that long ago time when everything was closed on the day of Christ’s Birth. But it is what it is, and once Christ is truly celebrated, we cannot complain. 

And yuh know what my brethren? I just opened the Good Library, and it opened unto Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, and as I perused it, I was taken by two interesting passages, scriptures that are very appropriate for this time and place. So that’s what we’ll deal with today. And, as you know, each passage of the psalm falls under a letter of the Hebrew Alphabet, thus, our first passage comes from that translated ‘PE.’ 

So please read with me. ‘Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them. The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments. Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do (as thy custom is) unto those that LOVE thy name. Order (direct) my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver (redeem) me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.’ (Ps. 119:129-136) 

And I truly wish that rivers of waters would run down our eyes because so much of the world is not keeping the Lord’s law. But unfortunately it doesn’t seem to matter to a great many of us believers, since we too are not keeping the Lord’s law as we ought to. And a couple of those verses really caught my attention. Like this one: ‘The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.’ 

And that’s the gospel truth my people. As Jesus said He came to bring light to those living in darkness, and that’s exactly what His word does to anyone who hears it and takes it to heart. And to the simple, it gives understanding. Now, judging by the non-understanding state of our world, many of us need to become simple (smile) and allow God’s word to give us that marvellous attribute called understanding, that ONLY comes from Him.

This verse is also one we should take seriously: ‘Order (direct) my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.’ It reminds me of the famous words of Cousin Sol from Proverbs chapter 3. ‘In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct (make smooth) thy paths.’ (Prov. 3:6) Yes my fellow believers, if we need our earthly paths to be fairly smooth, we need to depend on Almighty God to help us. It’s as simple as that. 

And the next passage comes from the Hebrew letter translated ‘TAU.’  Please read with me. ‘Let my cry come near before thee, O Lord: give me understanding according to thy word. let my (prayer of) supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word. My lips shall utter praise, when thou has taught me thy statutes. My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness. 

Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts. I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord; and thy law is my delight. Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgements help me. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.’ (Ps. 119: 169-176) 

And sadly, that last verse is oh so true my people. So many of us have gone astray, like lost sheep that the Lord’s word is of little or no account in today’s ungodly world. We might claim not to forget His commandments, but remembering them is of no importance unless we put them into action, and that’s where we’re continually falling down. But thankfully, if we sincerely cry out to the Lord for help, like the first verse of the passage declares, then the Lord will surely do as we ask, and bring us back to His fold. 

It’s like Isaiah says of Christ, as the lamb being led to the slaughter. ‘All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.’ (Is. 53:6) And that’s exactly what the Lord did; lay all of our sins on the shoulders of Jesus, making Him pay for them, so He could forgive us with justice and righteousness. 

And per that verse from Isaiah, I like how this commentary explains it. ‘Highlighting humanity’s universal tendency to wander from God’s path and follow personal desires (sin), a state from which Jesus, the Good Shepherd, comes to rescue and lead people back to God. It signifies that everyone, regardless of their intentions, needs spiritual guidance and redemption, emphasizing our inherent vulnerability and need for a Savior to overcome sin and find true direction.’ And with so much truth flooding our hearts and minds today, let’s hope a lot of it will become deeply rooted in those reservoirs (smile) and lead us to sincere and serious action. 

Now, it’s time to go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

And having said that, we are now duty bound to go out and share the amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…in these trying times…we don’t need much talk…just plenty action…

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