One of my favorite Psalms is Psalm 119, and I find in verses 25-32 an appropriate challenge for us at the beginning of a new year on the characteristics of a heart set on God.
First, we must have a steadfast determination. The Psalmist says, “I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws. I hold fast to your statutes, O Lord” (vv. 30-31a, emphasis added). I sense a steadfast determination in his words that we do well to renew within our hearts at the beginning of this year.
Second, we must have a desperate dependence on the Lord. The Psalmist begins the section saying, “I am laid low in the dust,” and later adds, “My soul is weary with sorrow” (v. 28a). He knew that he desperately needed God’s help, and expressed his dependence through the requests that he makes in rapid fire sucession: “Preserve [or revive] my life according to your Word” (v. 25b); “teach me your decrees” (v. 26b); “Let me understand the teaching of your precepts” (v. 27a); “strengthen me according to your word” (v. 28b); “Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law” (v. 29). In a culture that encourages us to be self-sufficient, we do well to remind ourselves that we need to be dependent on the Lord—even desperately dependent, when we consider the size of the task before us, the formidable nature of our foe and the extent of our own sinfulness and weakness.
Third, we must run in our glorious freedom. The Psalmist says: “I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free” (v. 32). Notice that he does not trudge along or even walk, but he runs in the path of God’s commands. Why? Because God has set his heart free. The world may think that living according to God’s commands restricts us and limits our freedom. But the reality is that when we “do our own thing” we both mess up our lives and bring ourselves into bondage to our own desires. However, when we follow Christ, who said, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36), we find that we are free from bondage to sin, self-centered thinking, pressures and expectations of others and the tyranny of the urgent and we are free to develop our God-given gifts and abilities, to pursue our God-given dreams, to explore the opportunities set before us, to become the man or woman God created and saved us to be and to fulfill the purposes for which we were called. What a glorious freedom indeed!
This year may each of us have a heart set on God that is characterized by a steadfast determination a desperate dependence and a glorious freedom.
First, we must have a steadfast determination. The Psalmist says, “I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws. I hold fast to your statutes, O Lord” (vv. 30-31a, emphasis added). I sense a steadfast determination in his words that we do well to renew within our hearts at the beginning of this year.
Second, we must have a desperate dependence on the Lord. The Psalmist begins the section saying, “I am laid low in the dust,” and later adds, “My soul is weary with sorrow” (v. 28a). He knew that he desperately needed God’s help, and expressed his dependence through the requests that he makes in rapid fire sucession: “Preserve [or revive] my life according to your Word” (v. 25b); “teach me your decrees” (v. 26b); “Let me understand the teaching of your precepts” (v. 27a); “strengthen me according to your word” (v. 28b); “Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law” (v. 29). In a culture that encourages us to be self-sufficient, we do well to remind ourselves that we need to be dependent on the Lord—even desperately dependent, when we consider the size of the task before us, the formidable nature of our foe and the extent of our own sinfulness and weakness.
Third, we must run in our glorious freedom. The Psalmist says: “I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free” (v. 32). Notice that he does not trudge along or even walk, but he runs in the path of God’s commands. Why? Because God has set his heart free. The world may think that living according to God’s commands restricts us and limits our freedom. But the reality is that when we “do our own thing” we both mess up our lives and bring ourselves into bondage to our own desires. However, when we follow Christ, who said, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36), we find that we are free from bondage to sin, self-centered thinking, pressures and expectations of others and the tyranny of the urgent and we are free to develop our God-given gifts and abilities, to pursue our God-given dreams, to explore the opportunities set before us, to become the man or woman God created and saved us to be and to fulfill the purposes for which we were called. What a glorious freedom indeed!
This year may each of us have a heart set on God that is characterized by a steadfast determination a desperate dependence and a glorious freedom.