Delighting in His Law - Your Daily Forward Devotional

Delighting in His Law

June 29, 2020

Read Psalm 119:14-16

“I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.”

Reflect

How do you feel about God’s commands? Do you rejoice in following them or do you feel like they are restrictive?

We have some rules at my house. But I’m not sure my kids rejoice in following them. They definitely don’t delight in getting told what to do. And I highly doubt that they spend their days pondering how good my commandments are.

I wish I could get them to see that I have rules to protect them. I have set boundaries for them because I love them. And if they would only follow them carefully, they would be safe and happy with far fewer worries and adverse consequences.

Tradition tells us that King David wrote Psalm 119. Regardless, the writer understood that God’s rules are for our good. In fact, he wrote the longest chapter found in the Bible with loving God’s Word and joyful obedience to God’s law being the central theme.

Like my children, when I was growing up, I often found both my parents’ and God’s rules restrictive. I didn’t understand why I couldn’t do everything I wanted to do. What was the harm in it?

But as I’ve gotten older and have become a parent myself, I can see the wisdom and value of boundaries. The rules I set for my children are meant to protect them and help them grow up to be kind, responsible, and respectful adults even if they don’t understand the reasons for my rules now.

God is our Heavenly Father, and He has rules for us to follow, too. But they are for our good even when we don’t understand His reasons. His understanding is greater than ours. And when we understand that, we will delight in His laws and rejoice in His commands.

 
Pray

Lord, I know that your commands are meant for my good. Help me to obey your Word and rejoice in it. Amen.