The Top Shelf: The All-Powerful God — Tuesday
Psalm 19:7a
The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. (NIV)
I don’t know how you were growing up, but I wouldn’t say I was a particularly good listener as a child. I’m the kid who, when their parents said, “The stove is hot,” had to get really close to it and feel the heat coming off before I decided not to touch it, just to see. Not my wisest choice, let me tell you, but I tended to learn things the hard way at times. I can be stubborn and think I know best when, oftentimes, the Lord has put others in my path so that they can help me learn and make better choices.
The section of Psalm 19 we’re going to focus on today is an exercise in listening well. The Psalmist describes the traits of God’s instruction. Take a minute to read Psalm 19:7-11. Let’s circle all the words that describe God’s commands: perfect, refreshing, trustworthy, joy-giving, firm, righteous, precious, in them there is great reward, etc.
I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel to Rome with some friends late last summer, and we were ecstatic to get to experience Pompeii while we were there. We had a tour guide, and she knew everything there was to know about the history of the culture, every must-see landmark within the city, what sections weren’t worth seeing, and how to make the most of our short time there. She answered our questions and was, by all accounts, an expert on making our tour the best experience it could possibly be, despite the impossible heat and weariness of our legs by the end.
Take that experience and apply it to your life. Wouldn’t it be incredible to have someone go before you and help you discern what is good and right, what to avoid, when to say no, and how to live a joy-filled life? That’s the Lord and His law. I’m not saying it’ll all be a walk in the park, because it won’t. There will be uncomfortable moments and things that happen that are outside of our control, but God will walk with us the entire way. His commands are perfect. He is trustworthy. Walking with Him and listening to Him brings joy, and in the end, there will be great reward!
Tuesday’s Reflection
Listen to Him today. Open up His Word. Acknowledge that what He says is true, and take time to listen. Then, go a step further by committing to continue listening even when you don’t hear anything—because He is always there, and His ways are perfect.