DECEMBER 6, 2012
Unlikely
Encouragement
Read: Psalm 19:7-11
More to be desired are
[God’s laws] than gold. —Psalm 19:10
Are
you looking for encourage- ment? Do you need a little boost
today amid all the
bad news coming your way? The psalmist David
can lift your spirit in an
unexpected way through some words we
often think of as negative.
When
we read Psalm 19, we discover a short listing of ways that
the Lord’s clearly
defined “law,” or standards for living, can bring
positive results. This is
unlikely encouragement, for some see God’s
standards as restrictive and as
robbing us of happiness.
Here
are some words the psalmist used for God’s standards: “law
of the Lord” (v.7),
“testimony” (v.7), “statutes” (v.8), “commandments”
(v.8), “fear of the Lord”
(v.9), and “judgments” (v.9). These words
have an ominous sound that causes
many people to want to avoid
or reject them.
But
notice what these things bring to the believing, obedient heart:
conversion of
the soul, wisdom, rejoicing of the heart, purity of life,
enlightenment of the
eyes, endurance, truth, and righteousness (vv.7-9).
That’s great encouragement!
No wonder David said about God’s law
that He’s given to us, “More to be desired
are they than gold . . . sweeter
also than honey” (v.10).
Lord, we love You and Your Word. We delight in
reading it, learning about You, and following what
You teach us. Thank You for all the blessings that come
from our relationship with You. Amen.
Obedience to God’s Word is the Christian’s greatest freedom.
Source:
Our Daily Bread 2012
