40 Days of Prayer, Day 17
Day 17, Tuesday, September 6
Psalm 19:7-10 “The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.”
The Word of God and the Immeasurable Benefits to Us
In each statement about the nature of the Bible, the psalmist moves from the objective reality of the Bible, “the Law of God is perfect,” to the very real benefits it has when we read it and apply it to our lives. The impact of submitting to the Bible is given in each successive statement: “restoring the soul…making wise the simple…enlightening the eyes…” Considering these lofty affirmations about the nature of God’s Word and considering the immeasurable benefits to the hearer, we should desire the Bible in a manner consist with these truths. In this case, the psalmist says that we should desire the bible more than a banker wants “gold” and more than a sweet toothed child wants “honey.” What we desire reflects the priorities of our life. If we desire physical pleasure, our eyes will delight in the things of this world that produce physical pleasure. If we desire financial gain, then our eyes will delight in the financial benefits of this world. However, if we desire God, then our eyes will pursue what God has provided for us. God communicates His glory through the creation. One way we pursue God is to honor Him by seeing His beauty on display in His creation. We can pursue God by seeing His glory in the beauty of the sunrise or the beauty of the sunset and praising Him for such beauty. However, if we desire God, we will also pursue Him through His Word. God reveals Himself in His Word. He also transforms us through His Word, making our relationship with Him more intimate and more genuine. The love for God is coextensive with a love for God’s Word. Just as truly close friends enjoy good conversation, if we love Him, then we will love the way He communicates to us through His creation and through His Word.
Prayer Focus
O God, thank You for Your Word. I long to have my desires reflect Your desires for my life. You have given us Your word. Use Your Word to restore me and to purify me. Use Your Word to bring a purity of heart, mind, body and soul. Use Your Word to sustain me through trouble. Amen.
From Bunyan’s The Acceptable Sacrifice
Then the Word works effectually to this purpose, when it finds out the sinner and his sin, and convinces him that it has found him out. Thus it was with our first father; when he had sinned, he sought to hide himself from God; he gets among the trees of the garden, and there he shrouds himself; but yet, not thinking himself secure, he covers himself with fig-leaves; and now he lies quiet. Now God shall not find me, he thinks, nor know what I have done. But lo! by and by, he 'hears the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden.' And now, Adam, what do you mean to do? Why, as yet, he hides his head, and seeks yet to lie undiscovered; but behold, the voice cries out, ADAM! and now he begins to tremble. 'Adam, where are you?' says God; and now Adam has to answer (Gen 3:7-11). But the voice of the Lord God does not leave him here: no, He now begins to search, and to inquire after Adam’s actions, and to unravel what he had wrapped and covered, until it made him bare and naked in his own sight before the face of God. Thus, therefore, the Word does, when managed by the arm of God. It finds out, it singles out the sinner; it finds out the sins of the sinner; it unravels his whole life, it strips him and lays him naked in his own sight before the face of God; neither can the sinner nor his wickedness be hidden; and now begins the sinner to see what he never saw before.