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Daily Devotion: Psalm 119:65-68

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Psalm 119:65-68    "Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word.  (66)  Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.  (67)  Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.  (68)  Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes."

I love how God's dealings with me are secured by those words in verse 65, "... according unto thy word." As I read those words, I am made certain that the Word of God is effectual. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians concerning the Word of God, "... ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe." The Word of God works effectively in our lives. God spoke to us through the Prophet Isaiah, "... it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." In other words, God's Word works!  

Now let me expound on that for a moment. It works in that we are blessed as we observe to keep the teachings of the Word of God each day. I am  blessed to know that our Heavenly Father will never leave us nor forsake us. I am blessed to know that the Lord is my Shepherd and I shall not lack for anything good in my life. I am blessed to know that I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. I am blessed to know that the grace of God is sufficient for all my needs and is greater than all my sin. I know these blessings because, "Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word." But also, let me understand that when I go astray from the Lord, He will allow affliction to bring me back to the fold. "Before I was afflicted I went astray." Notice the timing of those words. I went astray before the affliction came into my life, but God used that affliction to bring me back. "I went (past tense), but now (present tense) I have kept thy word. Whether I am experiencing the blessings of obedience or the affliction of correction, "Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes."  God's goodness never diminishes!  I'm so thankful.

1 Years I spent in vanity and pride,
caring not my Lord was crucified,
knowing not it was for me He died
on Calvary.

2 By God's Word at last my sin I learned;
then I trembled at the law I'd spurned,
till my guilty soul imploring turned
to Calvary.

Mercy there was great and grace was free;
pardon there was multiplied to me;
there my burdened soul found liberty,
at Calvary.

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