BEING COMPLETELY CONVINCED –

Our young champion in this psalm is in the fight of his spiritual life. Even though he knew it wouldn’t be easy, he was not prepared for the mountains he had to climb and the valleys he had to navigate through. Yet he kept his eye on the compass of God’s word. There were times when his instincts and imagination told him to change course, but as soon as he realized it would take him off the path God laid out for him, he quickly dismissed such ideas. Even those who tried to mislead him and convince him there were other ways to go, he gave notice that their suggestions would not help him reach his goal; that he was sold out to God’s plan for his life and none other.

“I am so anxious for You to get me out of this predicament, because my complete hope in what You said. But it’s becoming harder and harder to wait for Your promise to come true, that’s why I keep asking, “When will You bring me some peace of mind?” Although I feel tired and completely burned out, I will not give up on Your principles for living. I keep wondering how many days I have left to wait. Yes, I want to know when will You pass judgment on those who are giving me such a hard time?

These know-it-all’s have tried to trick me into changing my stance, by their false interpretation of Your Teachings. Even though Your commandments teach us about Your faithfulness, they keep trying to trip me up with lies; please do something soon. They have come close to making me quit my journey, but I refused to abandon Your guidelines for living. That’s why I depend on Your undying love to keep me going, that way I can be faithful to the instructions I’ve received from You.”

“I believe, O LORD Eternal, Your word is like the heavens, fixed to last forever; and Your faithfulness will continue to generation after generation; just as the earth You made will never stop turning.

Yes, they are both under Your direct control and obey Your directives like servants. Had Your Teachings not brought me encouragement, I would have given in to my misery a long time ago. That’s why I never stop living by Your guidelines, for through them You inspire me to keep on going. I belong to You; please see that I am victorious because I stood by those guidelines no matter what. These evil-minded people want to see me fail completely, but I refuse to take my eyes off of Your instructions.

I realize now that the life I’m living has its limits, but the commandments You have given us are limitless.” Psalm 119:81-96

Reflection: On Sunday, August 31, 1986 the 549 passenger sea-going liner, the Admiral Nakhimov, collided with a large cargo ship off the coast of Russia in the Black Sea. The collision claimed 425 lives when she sank in less than eight minutes, hurling helpless passengers into the murderous icy waters. News of the disaster caused even further consternation, after it was learned during the investigation what actually caused the accident. It did not involve any technological problem like a radar malfunction, or even thick fog. Instead, the real cause turned out to be human stubbornness. Each captain knew of the other ship’s presence and the course they were on. Both possessed enough time and space to steer clear of each other, but according to news reports neither captain wanted to be the first one to give way to the other. Each felt too proud to be the first to yield the right of way. By the time they came to their senses, it proved to be too late. The psalmist wanted no such disaster. Even though his opponents insulted his wisdom and integrity, he refused to risk losing everything just to claim superiority. God gave him the tools and materials necessary to navigate a safe course through their mine fields. This should help other believers to understand that when facing an enemy, don’t try to stare them down and declare, “I shall not be moved!” God’s Word clearly teaches that there is a time to stand, a time to sit, a time to speak, a time to be silent, a time to resist, and a time to back away. The choices are in our hands, but it’s God’s wisdom and Word that teaches us how to respond. Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount gives perfect examples of how to do things God’s way.