May 19, 2008
A life of faith
Scripture: 1 Samuel 22-23, Psalm 119:73-80, Galatians 3-4
Observation:
Psalm 119:73-76
“Your hands have made and fashioned me;
give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.
74 Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice,
because I have hoped in your word.
75 I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous,
and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.
76 Let your steadfast love comfort me
according to your promise to your servant.”
Everything the Psalmist says points back to God. He realizes that without God he is nothing, that he needs more of God in order to even understand his commandments and experience him more deeply. He does not seem emotionally effected by his affliction, whatever it is, because he stands on the truth that God is good and faithful and promises to comfort and restore him. He knows the truth of the word of God and lives in it, which is why other servants of God would see him and rejoice.
Application: I think God is beginning a work in me regarding what it is I believe. More than simply believing in Jesus Christ as savior, and the sovereignty of God, but believing every promise in the word of God and trusting him for it. This requires studying and knowing the word (asking him for revelation and understanding), and believing it- living as if it were true, which I don’t always do. As I read through Galatians on living by faith and not the law, I realize there is more to this dimension of living by faith in Christ than simply believing him for salvation. There’s still a crisis of belief to overcome as we learn all of the truths and the promises of God in scripture, and he has given us this word and his spirit to help us to understand and ingest these truths as part of our life of faith. It’s not a one time deal living a life of faith. Faith in God is faith in all that he is and all that he says he has done, is doing and is going to do.
