"Make me understand the way of your precepts..." (Psalm 119:27a, ESV)
As God makes me understand the way of His precepts it is right there that I can see His holy, righteous, just, merciful, gracious, loving-divine ways. I am then exposed and undone, seeing the precepts and the ways of my own life and of my own heart. His making me understand the ways of His precepts are His glorious light shining into the dark, unsearchable, never-before-seen depths of sin in my life, as exposed by the Truth; the Truth that sets me free (John 8:31-32) and the Truth which God, as He makes me understand the way of His precepts, sanctifies me in (John 17:17). It is like a steak that is marinaded over-night in the fridge and all the next day to then be grilled up for dinner. With each bite, the flavor of the marinade oozes from the steak and it is as if the marinade and steak are in seamless connection. As the marinade is so is the steak."
...and I will meditate on your wondrous works." (Psalm 119:27b, ESV)
As God makes me understand the the way of His precepts I can then meditate, or camp out in deep reflection, on His "wondrous works" that are in seamless connection with the way of His precepts.
The ultimate display of the way of His precepts and His wondrous works in seamless connection is in the Incarnate, Word-Become-Man, Jesus Christ. All of God's precepts and wondrous works were 100% embodied through Jesus Christ in His life in accordance with the Scriptures, His death for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, His burial, His resurrection on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures and His appearing (1 Corinthians 15:3-5). Therefore, it is the Truth, Jesus Christ, by Whom I am set free from the locked-up chains of sin and the prison-cell of death and by Whom I am sanctified in.
"I will run in the way of your commandments for you set my heart free!" (Psalm 119:32, ESV)
Because the Truth sets me free, I will run in the way of God's commandments. These are His commandments for all people to abide, or set up their entire residence, by now...
1. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:37)
2. "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:39)
Would you just look at what we are commanded to do!? "You shall love God first, supremely and foremost! You shall love people as you love yourself!" Camp out in deep reflection on the seamless connection between the way of God's precepts, or commandments, and God's "wondrous works" which were ultimately worked-out in Jesus Christ; the Incarnate, Word-Became-Man who sets you free!
Grace and peace be with you :)
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Actively Passive to God
"Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end.
Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.
Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.
Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.
Confirm to your servant your promise, that you may be feared.
Turn away the reproach that I dread, for your rules are good.
Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life!"
(Psalm 119:33-40, ESV)
This Psalm is an example here of being "actively passive" towards God when praying. I call it "actively passive" because it takes a literal God given desire that His Spirit resuscitates in us to (actively) come to Him with longings for Him teach us, lead us and give us life in the freedom-giving slavery to His Word. It is when He does these things in our life that we are completely passive (not retaliative) to His teachings, wisdom giving and life in His Word.
Look at all the requests! "Teach me!" "Give me!" "Lead me!" "Turn my eyes!" "Give me life!" These are all things that, without God's doing, we cannot have. So even in actively comming to Him, it is ultimately God's drawing us to Him in the first place and our passivity. Either way, there's no room for anyone to get the heavenly kudos but God Himself! Any desire in us to seek Him, to learn from Him and to obey Him is all to His credit.
Let us be a paralytic in the hands of the One who holds us into motion. Let us live in the life His righteousness gives us! (v.40)
Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.
Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.
Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.
Confirm to your servant your promise, that you may be feared.
Turn away the reproach that I dread, for your rules are good.
Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life!"
(Psalm 119:33-40, ESV)
This Psalm is an example here of being "actively passive" towards God when praying. I call it "actively passive" because it takes a literal God given desire that His Spirit resuscitates in us to (actively) come to Him with longings for Him teach us, lead us and give us life in the freedom-giving slavery to His Word. It is when He does these things in our life that we are completely passive (not retaliative) to His teachings, wisdom giving and life in His Word.
Look at all the requests! "Teach me!" "Give me!" "Lead me!" "Turn my eyes!" "Give me life!" These are all things that, without God's doing, we cannot have. So even in actively comming to Him, it is ultimately God's drawing us to Him in the first place and our passivity. Either way, there's no room for anyone to get the heavenly kudos but God Himself! Any desire in us to seek Him, to learn from Him and to obey Him is all to His credit.
Let us be a paralytic in the hands of the One who holds us into motion. Let us live in the life His righteousness gives us! (v.40)
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