Psalm 119 65-72
Do good to your servant
according to your word, O LORD.
Teach me knowledge and good judgment,
for I believe your commands.
Before I was afflicted I went astray,
but now I obey your word.
You are good, and what you do is good;
teach me your decrees.
Though the arrogant has smeared me with lies,
I keep your precepts with all my heart.
Their hearts are callous and unfeeling but I delight in your law.
It was good for me to be afflicted
so that I might learn your decrees.
The law from your mouth is more precious to me
than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.
How do we process afflictions that happen to us?
Some might get bitter and turn away from the LORD.
Some think that it was their fault and condemn themselves.
The Psalmist sees that his affliction came from the LORD and thank God so that he can come back to God.
He said, "It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn of your decrees. Before I was afflicted I went astray."
The affliction he received was that the arrogant smeared him with lies. The arrogant had no feeling for him and was so callous.
He felt that he was unjustly treated. No one wants to be unjustly treated. When he was afflicted, he turned to the law of the LORD and saw God.
He obeyed God's word. He did not retaliate the arrogant but he used this event to learn of God's decrees. He confessed that God's word was more precious than any silver or gold.
Was he crazy and lost all the sense of reality?
No. This does not any sense unless you see Jesus who was pure yet afflicted. When I read the law of the LORD, I see clearly that I am a sinner who deserves to be punished. This is not just my vague feeling but it is very certain and objective.
What did God do? He sent his Son as a man and made him suffer from his birth until he died on the cross.
Why? He wanted to fulfill the Law's requirements. Jesus fulfilled everything yet he had to suffer for me.
So David said else where that your rod and your staff they comfort me. Our Father is the shepherd who uses his rod and staff to guide us and sometimes afflict us so that we might not stray too far from him.
But Jesus did not stray but God did not spare his rod and staff to punish him. God declared that he is just and righteous. Someone has to pay for our going astray. Jesus absorbed our punishment.
By his wounds we are healed.
So we put our confidence on God's word. He has done something good for us.
So we ask God to teach us his laws and decrees.
We are not surprised when we are afflicted. We can look at Jesus on the cross and only thank God.
God's affliction brings us to him, to the heart of God, This only makes sense when we look at him on the cross.
Do good to your servant. This includes your afflictions. Bring me back to you with your love.
Your law preserves my life. Thank you for giving me your law shown in Jesus so that I can know the value of your word.
It was good for me to be afflicted. It was good for Jesus to be afflicted for us. This is our saving grace.
Help me to confess like Augustine, your servant.
My love for you, O LORD, is not some vague felling: it is positive and certain. Your word struck into my heart and from that moment, I loved you...
More than all this, you will show pity on those whom you pity; you will show mercy; if it were not your mercy, heaven and earth would cry your praises to deaf ears.
I need help daily to hear you and praise you.
Have mercy on me and show your pity to me through your Son daily.
Do good to your servant.
It was good for me to be afflicted so that I can come to you and learn of your decrees.
No comments:
Post a Comment