"Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward." (Psalm 19:11)
The thought occurred to me as I read our text this morning: What do I consider as my, "....great reward"? Can I ask: What do you consider as, "....great reward"?
It is interesting that money did not come to my mind. The first thing that I thought of was the affect (yes, the verb, "affect") which Jesus' sustaining, empowering Words, aka, the Bible, has been having on my recovery. This is in the most literal sense my, "great reward."
I realize again today that there have been many people who gave up, quit, experienced divorce, succumbed to bitterness and despair after the loss of a child. While the pain of loss has never ceased, while "sorrows like sea billows [can still] roar," I can say today that my, "great reward," is Jesus' Words, or what Psalm 19 refers to as, "the Law of the Lord.., the Testimony of the Lord.., the Statutes of the Lord.., the Commandment of the Lord.., the Fear of the Lord.., the Judgments of the Lord....'----- THE BIBLE. It is in the faithful submission to, and reading of, and, "in keeping," Jesus' Words, which produces that wonderful, "great reward"?
First, it really came to me today that my, "great reward," is exactly in what the psalmist said, "Moreover by them," Jesus' Words, "Your servant is warned...." I am, "warned," that there is nothing but blackness, darkness, an empty void awaiting me, if for one moment I forget that in Jesus' Words was/is my salvation, "born again," yes, and including the moment by moment sustaining I need in Jesus' Words for the remainder of this life's sojourn.
Second, there is the, "....In keeping them...." Neither you nor I are, "In keeping them," flawlessly all the time. But there is one thing we can do. If you and I really believe, "More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb", then we will give ourselves daily to the reading, even the hearing of, "the Words of God" (and always remember His great promise, "the entrance of [His] Word gives light.") The, "More to be desired..," is key. I consider myself an intravenous user, on literal continual "Life Support," Jesus' Life, Jesus' Support, Jesus' Words. This, my friend, is my absolutely, marvelous, glorious, "....great reward."
The thought occurred to me as I read our text this morning: What do I consider as my, "....great reward"? Can I ask: What do you consider as, "....great reward"?
It is interesting that money did not come to my mind. The first thing that I thought of was the affect (yes, the verb, "affect") which Jesus' sustaining, empowering Words, aka, the Bible, has been having on my recovery. This is in the most literal sense my, "great reward."
I realize again today that there have been many people who gave up, quit, experienced divorce, succumbed to bitterness and despair after the loss of a child. While the pain of loss has never ceased, while "sorrows like sea billows [can still] roar," I can say today that my, "great reward," is Jesus' Words, or what Psalm 19 refers to as, "the Law of the Lord.., the Testimony of the Lord.., the Statutes of the Lord.., the Commandment of the Lord.., the Fear of the Lord.., the Judgments of the Lord....'----- THE BIBLE. It is in the faithful submission to, and reading of, and, "in keeping," Jesus' Words, which produces that wonderful, "great reward"?
First, it really came to me today that my, "great reward," is exactly in what the psalmist said, "Moreover by them," Jesus' Words, "Your servant is warned...." I am, "warned," that there is nothing but blackness, darkness, an empty void awaiting me, if for one moment I forget that in Jesus' Words was/is my salvation, "born again," yes, and including the moment by moment sustaining I need in Jesus' Words for the remainder of this life's sojourn.
Second, there is the, "....In keeping them...." Neither you nor I are, "In keeping them," flawlessly all the time. But there is one thing we can do. If you and I really believe, "More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb", then we will give ourselves daily to the reading, even the hearing of, "the Words of God" (and always remember His great promise, "the entrance of [His] Word gives light.") The, "More to be desired..," is key. I consider myself an intravenous user, on literal continual "Life Support," Jesus' Life, Jesus' Support, Jesus' Words. This, my friend, is my absolutely, marvelous, glorious, "....great reward."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I confess that for too long I thought wrongly about, "great reward." Thank You for Your Word-Revelation today. Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
