Monday Reflections on a Sunday Sermon- Aug 29th

      Psalm 119 is the largest chapter, by far, in all of scripture- 176 alphabetical verses (in the original Hebrew) describing the absolute treasure having the Word of God truly is. This week we looked at the first two sections and focused our attention on Walking as a Believer and Joyfully Persisting in Scripture. To be sure, both are not as easy as it would seem; each new day presenting challenges of its own (and, if we are being real for just a moment, some left over challenges from yesterday). 
​      I mentioned in the sermon, that verse 5 really stood out to me for several days... the idea of the Lord establishing my steps (present and future). What a great desire to pray about. It is very comforting to think that if we truly desired this, the Lord would be all about answering that prayer.
      And from that vantage point, does adversity even seem so terrible if we can, like Job when he loses all his material wealth in Chapter 1 he says words that are also found in Ecclesiastes 5:15 , "Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." Or in Chapter 2 when he loses his 10 children he pronounces "Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” To be clear, he does tear his robes and shave his head and winds up sitting in ashes over it all. There are difficult feelings that he is working through, but he certainly does not malign the name of the Lord as these things happen. What happens later in Job is another point all together, but for now, how can we come closer to this ideal of being able to worship God in adversity? That is where faith comes in.
     Faith that is only evident in times of good, is incomplete. Faith is to be demonstrated at all times. It is especially powerful to those looking on when those of the faith remain faithful when others would have folded. To be better prepared, one need look no further than spending time with the Holy Spirit in quiet reflection of the Word and how it is to transform our everyday lives. Because just like the challenges each new day brings, that new day also brings His grace and His mercy- fresh, vibrant, potent, and new with each sunrise. Be sure to turn to it, gain strength from Christ, as you face whatever today has for you.

Isaiah 30:15 “In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength.”

Questions for you:
1) What does your typical quiet time look like? How might you "shake the dust off of it," so to speak, and be reinvigorated with your time abiding in the Lord?
2) When life seems like the Lord is distant, do you wait for Him to make the first move or do you pursue after Him?
3) If you were to use one word to describe your walk with the Lord, what would it be? Are you happy with it or would you pray for and pursue change?
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