Psalm 119:33-40 tell us:
33Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees;
then I will keep them to the end.
34Give me understanding, and I will keep your law
and obey it with all my heart.
35Direct me in the path of your commands,
for there I find delight.
36Turn my heart toward your statutes
and not toward selfish gain.
37Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
preserve my life according to your word.
38Fulfill your promise to your servant,
so that you may be feared.
39Take away the disgrace I dread,
for your laws are good.
40How I long for your precepts!
Preserve my life in your righteousness.
The verses that jumped out at me from this reading are verses 36 and 37: “Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.”
I believe that as God continues to work me towards humility – it seems to be an overarching theme in my devotions lately – He will mold my heart towards living a life of greater value because it is focused on Him and things of greater value. How shallow my desires, how selfish my actions! One thing I realize is that the desire for self-glory and personal acclaim is in itself a bondage, and even as Jesus broke the chains, I acknowledge that God’s grace and my faith in His Son’s power and sacrifice are what free me from a life of no meaning. As I obey His Word and live a life according to his statutes, all else follows: a life that is preserved and full of worth and joy. I want that. I want a life that glorifies God. I want a life and an outlook and a heart that is focused on Him. Right now, my heart is far from it. But I acknowledge that by grace, it will arrive there eventually. And I can’t wait to see the amazing things He will empower me to do that will glorify His Name. Grateful for grace.
