Daily Readings and Thought for March 12th. “THE UNFOLDING OF YOUR WORDS GIVES LIGHT”
Today we completed reading that marvellous Psalm 119. As we read God’s word day by day how wonderfully true it is that “the unfolding of your words gives light” [v.130]. The rest of that verse says, “it imparts understanding to the simple.” Do the wise not need understanding? Reflect on the Proverb we will read later this month! “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones” [3 v.7,8]
The Psalmist’s prayer is similar, “Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.” [v.133] It is tragic that the word iniquity, that is, sinful ways, describes the way of life around us more than ever. It is even more tragic when new human laws allow behaviour that God hates. We read today in Leviticus 20 of how adulterers in God’s nation were to be put to death (v.10) and “if a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death …” [v.13]
God’s attitude is summed up in v.23, You shall not walk in the customs of the nation that I am driving out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I detested them.” Returning to Psalm 119 we noted its concluding words, “Let my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word … Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. I long for your salvation …. Let my soul live and praise you.” [v.169, 173-175]
Finally in Luke we read John Baptist’s words of the ultimate judgements on evil that God will send Jesus to accomplish. We must be close to the fulfilment of these words. “His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” [Ch. 3 v.17] Our meditations on the Psalms will help us to be among the wheat.
