Resolved


Psalm 119:9-16
9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your Word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from Your commandments!
11 I have stored up Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.
12 Blessed are You, O Lord; teach me Your statutes!
13 With my lips I declare all the rules of Your mouth.
14 In the way of Your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on Your precepts and fix my eyes on Your ways.
16 I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your Word.

The old cliché says that by today (January 2) those who bothered to make a New Year’s resolution have already folded and there goes another year. That might mean a bowl of ice cream was consumed before bed last night rather than a glass of good healthy, no calorie water. That might mean an hour has already been spent on the phone gossiping about your co-workers. Or it might mean that instead of spending some time with the Lord this morning before getting the day going, you watched a morning news show. While a resolve to do something better is generally a good idea we all know that the follow-through can be difficult.

Rather than dive back into 2 Samuel, which will happen tomorrow, it seemed like a good time to hold up the challenge of “doing better” as Christ-followers. For me, the best expression of my faith is found in reading, studying, and sharing the Word of God. But I can always do better. I confess that if the day ahead is going to be a busy one, I’m sorely tempted to cut short that time of quiet with the Lord before I go about my own self-devised schedule. All that stuff just seems to press in upon my brain and I flee into busyness with a quick glance over my shoulder at the Lord who always waits patiently for my return. At this point, I also know that those days generally end badly; I know that there was much left unaccomplished and the day is somehow dissatisfying. Just a few more moments spent with the Lord causes the day to go as He directs and ends with a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction. I envy those who are able to quiet the distractions and concentrate on Him as He deserves.

The words of Psalm 119 that head this devotion today need to be embraced by all of us. That is why this Blog even exists. It is my daily reminder to spend time listening to the Lord and allowing Him to build the day as He sees fit. And so, I resolve to do better (like I do every year) and be a more dedicated listener to God. Hopefully, the reflections of those moments will continue to appear in this blog and the Body of Christ will be edified by His Word. To God alone be the glory!

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