Allocated Memory

“ZAIN. Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me. The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy law. I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself. Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law. Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage. I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law. This I had, because I kept thy precepts.” (Ps 119:49-56 AV)

 

If you’ll note the underlined phrases, this section of Psalm 119 is all about memory.  The first mention is a request by the writer to the LORD to remind him of all upon which he has come to hope.  He is asking those passages of scripture that have been so familiar to him yet escape his memory, be brought back that he might have hope.  Particularly, hope to live according to the law and promises of God’s holy word.  The next mention is the answer to his prayer.  He has not remembered God’s actions or work of old.  He mulls over in his mind all those times that God had worked things out according to His unbending word.  The judgments are God’s actions in reference to His absolute law and truth revealed in His word.  The psalmist is encouraged the God of the past is also the God of the present and will be the God of the future.  The third mention of memory is the Psalmist remembering the name of the LORD in the middle of the night.   It is often the middle of the night when our thoughts trouble us the most.  When he does remember the LORD in a very personal way, he is committed to walking in the law of God despite the trouble that surrounds him.

I used to have Popeye arms.  Truly.  The rest of my body was scrawny.  But my arms from my elbows to my wrist were buff.  No, I didn’t have a physical abnormality handed down from birth.  No, I didn’t walk through a chemical spill.  No, I wasn’t bitten by a poisonous spider on both my arms.  I am not exaggerating when I say that my forearms were almost twice as big as my biceps.  You think I am exaggerating, don’t you?  Let me explain.  In my early adult years, I worked at a pizzeria.  I even managed on for a time.  The first pizzeria I worked at had a machine that would cut a sixteen-pound blob of dough into sixteen pieces and roll them into sixteen individual balls of one pound each.  Then we had to weigh them and add or subtract dough to make them exactly the same.  It was easier to do it all by hand.  So, for nine years or so, I made pizza dough cutting each batch into individual one-pound pieces, and tucking them into balls.  This happened every day for hundreds and hundreds of dough balls.  Average that out over nine years and I probably kneaded millions of pounds of dough.  The thing is, the only muscle group one uses to kneed these dough balls are your forearms.  This is why I had Popeye arms.  Today, I am no longer a freak of nature.  At least where my arms are concerned.

Memory is a valuable thing.  As I age, I am beginning to appreciate this more and more.  Yet, there is a very practical application in our passage above.  The brain is like any other organ or muscle in the body.  It must be exercised.  Our lungs automatically exercise themselves.  We can improve our lungs by exercise.  Our hearts are the same.  It beats automatically.  But exercise will strengthen our hearts.  There are other organs in our bodies that drive on automatic.  Our pancreas and thyroid produce hormones or chemicals needed for other muscles or organs to function.  They do so without a deliberate act of the will.  Doctors tell us that a good diet will keep these organs healthier for a longer length of time.  The brain is no different.  There are things we can do to improve cognitive function.  When it comes to remembering, this takes work.  When David asks the LORD to bring to the memory that which he needed for his situation, he did not sit there and hope it happened by osmosis.  He worked his brain and at the same time, relied on the Holy Spirit to bring to memory what he desired.  If we are struggling to remember, then we work the brain.  We don’t stop just because we cannot remember.

Not An Empty Promise

“HE. Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.” (Ps 119:33-35 AV)

 

The vow of verse one is contingent on what follows.  The Psalmist, David, promises to keep the law unto the end.  That is quite a promise.  On the face of it, this promise seems impossible.  No one can live perfectly and without sin while he battles the flesh, the world, and the Devil.  We often make promises like this.  We know, practically speaking, we cannot.  Yet to the hearer, it sounds comforting.  It is the desire and intent of the heart even though we all know it is impossible.  But this is not what is happening here.  David does mean what he promised.  There is no sincere promise without the means to accomplish it.  The means follow the promise.  David asks the LORD for understanding.  Then he asks the LORD to make him go in the way of His commandments.  These two qualifiers are what make the initial vow a doable one.

Part of learning scouting skills was tying knots and knowing the purpose of individual knots.  Some knots could slip.  Some knots could slip, but under tension, would not slip.  Others didn’t slip at all.  Some knots were difficult to untie while others came apart with a simple tug.  Learning knot tying was not limited to the knot itself.  We had to know under what conditions we would tie a certain knot versus another.  Fishing line knots also have several applications.  Depending on the types of line, the weight of line, or application, one might choose different knots for different situations.  Learning knots is not as easy as it might seem.  The one that really threw everyone for a loop (no pun intended) was the bowline hitch.  There is a rhyme that goes with it.  See the rabbit go up the hole, around the tree, and back down the hole.  It helped a little bit.  Not that much, though.  This knot is very specific.  If tied wrong, it completely falls apart.  There is no tension to keep the knot in place and functional.  The desire to tie the knot was there.  There was only one way to tie this knot.  It had no room for individual interpretation.  You knew it was wrong because when under load, it would fall apart.  The bowline is used for lifesaving applications.  One needs a knot that is impossible to slip or come apart.  The consequences of a knot tie wrong were severe.  The scout needed understanding and he also needed consequences.  This is for what David is asking.

David’s vow is not an empty one.  It is not a ‘feel good’ promise that he knows has no chance of happening.  It is sincere.  Looking over his life, there were times he failed.  He was not always successful.  However, David did submit to the hand of God in those times of failure.  When he numbered the people, he sought mercy for the people’s sake. And, not his own sake.  When he fell with Bathsheba, he sought mercy for the child’s sake and Bathsheba’s sake.  He never sought mercy for the consequences of those choices as they affected only himself.  He welcomed the instruction and correction from the hand of the LORD because his heart was genuine and sincere.  He truly wanted to live a life in perfect obedience to the law of the but he knew the old man made this impossible.  Impossible, that is unless the LORD enabled him to do so.  David’s vow is admirable.  It is worthy of emulation.  But we cannot make that vow unless we also ask for understanding and consequences.  Then we can endeavor to do the impossible.  OBEY.

No Matter What A Day May Bring Forth

“This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Ps 118:24 AV)

 

This statement is irrespective of the day in question or the circumstances involved.  It doesn’t matter what the day may bring forth.  It is a day like any other day.  Full of blessings, trials, and chastening.  This day is like any other Sunday.  The details may vary, but the day is the same.  It is twenty-four hours God has created that we may exist therein.  He has made it for a purpose.  There is something He wishes to accomplish therein.  This day is part of His plan.  God did not create time as the first element of His creation to see it tick away.  Or, better put, progress without any rhyme of reason.  Each day is in the plan of God and we are in that day because of that plan.  This day is for Him.  But it is also for us.  There is something in this day that He wishes for our blessing.  Whether it is a smile or word of encouragement, or some task the LORD wants to be done, this day is for us.  Therefore, no matter the set of circumstances, we should rejoice and be glad in it.

One may look at this verse and see the eternal optimist.  No matter what the day brings forth, our writer will rejoice and be glad.  We have all heard the saying, “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”  We need more of that.  Attitude goes a long way in how we experience life.  We all have our times.  We all go through hard times.  It doesn’t matter what our resources or status in life.  There is trouble around every corner.  It may be a different corner, but there is trouble there.  Even the most wealthy have their days.  How we approach it makes all the difference in the world.  My mother was such a person.  She grew up hard.  Born in a very small and rural town, she did not live well.  Her grandparents owned the local hotel, but it burned to the ground.  Her father went from job to job.  Work was very hard to find back in the forties and fifties.  He finally settled into driving a bus route between Buffalo and Bath, NY.  They lived a simple and rural life.  Then she married my father.  Together, they raised eleven children.  She was a secretary and he was a school teacher.  Not exactly high-paying jobs.  We struggled.  We had more used clothing than brand new.  We didn’t have much and some of which we had come from picking through the garbage of our neighbors and repairing them to workable condition.  What my mother did do was she seldom wore a downcast face. She didn’t bounce off the walls with excitement, but she had a steady confident demeanor and she knew how to enjoy the day.  Much like my wife.  They are carbon copies of the same spirit.

The point is simple.  Before the day begins, the writer is making a promise to rejoice and be glad in it.  The phrase. “…we will…” is emphatic.  He makes this vow before the day begins because it does not matter what the day will bring forth.  Rejoice and be glad no matter what.  This is the Psalmist’s vow.  Trouble will come.  That is a certainty.  How we process it tells volumes regarding our relationship with the LORD.  If we are completely submitted to all that God has for us, then we will see the day as an opportunity.  We will not see it as a trial to endure.  Sure, this is not always easy.  But it is possible.  My heroes are my mother and my wife.  They live this verse.  They can make a mud puddle into a swimming pool.  They can make a problem a source of humor.  A grateful heart is at the center of this attitude.  Another day.  Another opportunity to show forth God’s goodness regardless of what the day will bring.

A Great Question

“What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?” (Ps 116:12 AV)

 

A very good question.  This verse is packed with true assumptions.  Note first, the writer’s use of the word ‘all’.  This assumes a quality too large to a number and not equal to whatever he may do in an attempt to render to the LORD that which He might appreciate.  The use of the word ‘all’ may also assume the writer is easily aware of some of the benefits which the LORD has bestowed, but it took some reckoning the see more than was obvious.  The implication of this verse is there is nothing we could ever do to repay that which the LORD has done for us.  The question demands an answer with no absolute in mind.  The use of the word ‘all’ implies that even if the writer was to try to render to the LORD something in response to those benefits, he would always come up radically short.  This question begs action.  It is not a question intended to remain unanswered.  It is a question that motivates the writer to do what he can.

I grew up watching Gilligan’s Island.  For those unfamiliar, a small tourists boat with seven people on board was lost off the shore of Hawaii and marooned on a deserted island.  The entire program was a sitcom whose theme was trying to escape the island and reach the mainland.  Time and again, their efforts failed.  Usually by the mishaps of the second mate, Gilligan.  In one episode, the Skipper saved Gilligan’s life.  Gilligan was so thankful for his life that he vowed to serve the Skipper as a court attendant would do.  Gilligan wouldn’t let the Skipper do anything for himself.  I got so overbearing, the Skipper and the Professor had to concoct a way to set the scales even.  Gilligan was so annoying, the Skipper couldn’t get a moment's peace without his ‘little buddy’ in his face wanting to do something to please his Skipper.  The situation was resolved when the Professor and Skipper devised a plan wherein Gilligan saved the life of the Skipper and life was back to normal.  The point is, there was no limit to what Gilligan was willing to do to show how grateful he was the Skipper saved his life.  He could never repay him, but he sure tried his hardest.

This is the attitude of the writer.  There is no way we can come even close to reciprocating the grace and benefits which God has granted us.  We cannot come close to repaying what He has given.  Even if we shared our benefits with our fellow man (which we should do anyway), there simply are not enough resources to touch the debt we owe.  The question above is meant to motivate us to thank God for all that He has done and to spur us on in the generosity of resources and praise that God might be honored before all.  The writer wants to do something but he knows it will never be enough.  He is going to try anyway.

Prayer:  Father, I have done such a horrible job in this area.  I am so blessed but all I do is spend my prayer time feeling sorry for myself.  Father, I need a new spirit.  Please renew a right spirit within me that all of my energy might be geared towards repaying the debt I owe.  Thank You from the bottom of my heart for Your unsearchable riches by Christ Jesus.

Blessed By Love For Law

“Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.” (Ps 112:1 AV)

 

As we have mentioned before, the word blessed means to be happy, content and fulfilled.  The writer correctly states those that who fear the LORD and truly enjoy living in the commandments of God are the most fulfilled of all of God’s creation.  This goes contrary to our carnal mind’s thinking.  We think liberty from the constraints of the word of God would make up happy.  It may be for a while.  However, once the ships come in, we soon find out this is not the case.  Consequences aside, there are other reasons why the person above might enjoy the commandments of God.

The sheer pleasure of doing right.  This is a pleasure we often pursue without even knowing it.  I am learning much about cooking.  It is my new hobby, so to speak.  Watching different cooking shows reveals new techniques.  There is a period of trial and error.  One learns the correct temperatures.  I learn how different ingredients go together.  When a dish comes together, there is a sense of accomplishment and success.

The pleasure of the benefits received.  When we obey the will of God, there are blessings associated with it.  Not limited to avoiding negative consequences, there are positive outcomes.  We enjoy doing right because doing right produces good fruit.

The pleasure of God’s affirmation.  We do right because we know God appreciates it when we do.  He is pleased that we seek to please Him.

The pleasure of God’s reputation.  We do right because we know the testimony of God will be shown to others.  When we do right, we reveal the holy nature of God and hopefully inspire others to walk with Him.

There are probably a dozen or so more reasons to delight in the commandments of God.  The point is, delighting in the commandments of God brings blessedness to the heart, mind, and soul which disobedience does not.  Disobedience does just the opposite.  To delight in doing right means we have a life of purpose, pleasure, and contentment.  Knowing there is nothing between me and my God means I have a peace that passes all understanding.  Notices also the little adjective ‘greatly’.  This isn’t a passing pleasure in the commandments of God.  The Psalmist love living in the commandments of God far and above all other life’s pleasures.  If only we could live the same way.

Prayer:  Father, thank You for this passage.  It means a lot to me this morning.  I do desire that heart.  I know I have allowed myself to wander too far from this.  I need to return.  Please, Father, revive Thy work in the midst of the years.

It's A God Thing

"Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy: That they may know that this is thy hand; that thou, LORD, hast done it.” (Ps 109:26-27 AV)

 

I have written much about the mercy of God.  Here, the Psalmist needs relief from his enemies.  He is suffering all sorts of injustices at their hands.  He is overwhelmed by the constant attack.  Yet, his motive for relief is the testimony of God.  He is asking for release that others may clearly know it is the hand of God that did it.  This suggests the character of that relief be so dramatic it is obviously from God’s hand.  He desires the means and method to be so far from human ability those who witness it cannot help but see a divine hand as the cause.  The Psalmist is not asking for vindication’s sake.  He is not asking for retribution.  He desires the reputation and ability of God almighty to be the sole reason for his escape.  That God might be known and glorified is the reason he seeks liberty.

In certain parts of the country, there is a saying used when something that is obviously from the LORD happens.  “It’s a God thing.”  This little phrase has more meaning than a simple declaration that God did something.  This phrase has the meaning that whatever happened was so dramatic and beyond mankind’s abilities, that it was obvious to all God did it.  When we say something is a God thing, we are saying God did that thing and there can be no other explanation.  ‘God things’ that truly turn my head are those things that involve incredible timing and order.  One thing depends on another which depends on another.  The plan and the execution of the plan is the testimony of the Almighty that really wows me.  How He can order all details to work together in one great plan is astounding.  One of my pleasures is seeing God through history.  Recently, I had the wonderful pleasure of investigating the history of my in-laws.  I learned where they were born.  Where they grew up.  How they met.  And what brought them from their home state to mine where I met and married their daughter.  Add to that my three sons and their call into the ministry and I can see how the LORD moved these complex series of events to one end.  He is really and truly amazing.

When we seek relief from the troubles of life, what are our motives?  Do we simply want to end the discomfort?  Do we seek the end of the horrible feeling of being overwhelmed by something we cannot control?  Do we want God to free us that we might be vindicated before those who are troubling us?  Do we want relief that we might use our liberty for an occasion to the flesh?  Do we want to find release so that others do not cause more harm?  What are our motives?  The Psalmist wanted the LORD to intervene that he might brag on God.  So, when those who caused him problems wondered at the psalmist liberty, he could tell them, it was a God thing.  Next time God does something for us, our reaction will be a good indication of our motives.  What do we say to others who notice how things worked out?  Who will we brag on?  Will we testify that what happened was a God thing?

Not Always Better

“And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.” (Ps 106:15 AV)

The psalmist is referring to the quail provided by God to the children of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness.  God had provided manna from heaven.  The bible tells us it was angel’s food.  It was sweet to the taste like coriander seed.  There was no need to prepare this manna.  They could, and did, dry it to grind it into flour.  They saved the floor for the Sabbath because they were not allowed to gather Manna on the Sabbath.  This food provided by God was low maintenance and was dropped from heaven right in their laps.  Yet, they complained.  They wanted meat.  Or, better stated, they wanted a specific type of meat.  They had flocks and herds with them.  They had meat as they always had.  Lamb, beef, and poultry were part of their diet.  Yet, that was not good enough.  They desired quail from heaven.  The Bible says this brought leanness to their soul.  Not only did it not satisfy, it took what pleasure they did have and reduced it.

When I was much younger, I did a foolish thing in changing a wise choice into a foolish one.  One of the first cars I ever bought was a Nissan Sentra.  I bought it brand new off the lot.  I planned to pay it off and not have a car payment for several years and hopefully pay it off before I got married.  I took my grandfather for a ride and he inspected the car.  He loved it.  Especially the glove compartment.  But he was also impressed with my plan.  My father, as well, once he understood the plan, was rather impressed.  That little car gave me no problems.  It got great gas mileage.  A standard transmission, which I really liked, made this car even more economical.  However, I always dreamed of having a four-wheel-drive Jeep or truck.  One afternoon, while getting some recall work done on my vehicle, I spied a Jeep Grand Wagoneer.  It was forest green with all the extras.  Leather seats, power everything, etc.  I fell in love.  Justifying my desire by telling myself I had bought a lemon because it had recall work, and the fact I was probably going to get married eventually and that Sentra would never be big enough, and NY winters are harsh, I traded in my Sentra for that Jeep Grand Wagoneer.  I had a lot of fun with that Jeep.  I transported people all over the place when the snow came down by the foot.  I climbed hills with that Jeep.  I went off-road with that Jeep.  A lot of fun.  That is until I discovered eight miles to the gallon was steeper than a young man could afford.  All the fun went out of it.

God provided what the Children of Israel needed.  It was better than they could have done on their own.  They were wandering.  They had no steady source of carbs.  They had all the protein they needed.  They needed the Manna to supplement what they lacked.  This was not good enough for them.  They wanted something different.  When the quail came, they fell on them and ate them raw.  This made them ill.  God allowed them to suffer the consequences of their discontentment.  When God provides, it is always the best.  It may not meet our heart’s lust, but it meets the soul’s need.  If we are discontent and desire something we think is better, not only will it be worse, but it will rob us of the blessing we presently enjoy.