Can our lives fit the words of v. 3 “they do no wickedness”? It is a question we cannot escape. V. 3 sets the mirror of the perfect law before us and we fall short. We are condemned. But God stoops down with His mercy. The second half of v. 3 says “but walk in His ways.” What are God’s ways? Look closely at the ways of the One who said, “follow Me.” His ways are mercy, grace, forgiveness and so much more. Jesus said, “Come to Me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls . . .” These are the ways and the works that God loves to do. The ways of God are the way to Jerusalem and the way to Calvary. They are the path He walked to purchase me; and He calls me there to know that I am His. The ways of God include the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-34) and walking with us in eternal life. Our psalm called to us and invited us to walk in the “Torah” of the LORD – to have our world filled with the things and the acts of God. Now it calls us to walk in His ways. This means to go through life with God’s ways and His doings all around us, and to follow and have our lives molded and shaped in harmony with His words and His ways.. The next 3 verses (4-6) are prayers voicing desire and longing – to be keeping His precepts (God says how I am to live); and to be steadfast in His statutes (God declares what is to be). If I could only be in complete harmony with God’s ways, His precepts, and His statutes; why then I would never be put to shame. If only . . . But again, God stoops down to me. He comes into our lives and into our world. Jesus gives us His words. His words do not tell me what I must do to win eternal life. They point to His mercy. They tell how He has won the victory for me. He has carried the burden, suffered the punishment, won the victory and opened up life. Now I find myself being built on His words; and on His words I am like a house built on the rock. No matter what comes; no matter the wind, the storm, the floods even – we are built on His words, and they are a firm foundation. They are eternal. (Matthew 7:24-25) He is the One who said about the Law, “until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away” (Matthew 5:18) He says to us, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” (Matthew 24:35) The word of the Lord endures forever. But those words are words of life and words of promise to us. He speaks them to me, into my soul; and when the eternal word of God is in my soul – that is eternal life! We thank and praise and celebrate what Jesus has given us! (How can we do anything else?) So we say with the psalm, “I will” “acclaim You;” and “I will” “attend to Your statutes.” This Word of God truly is our life and salvation! God sets His Promises, His words and hopes before us in so many ways. He tenderly invites us. He calls to our hearts. But I am a sinner. I know that I am not worthy to have Him stay in my life. The last prayer in Part “Aleph” is “do not forsake me” – specifically “do not forsake me beyond enduring!” (Verse 8) “Beyond enduring” would mean to be left by God, to have an eternity of being without Him. The sinner cries out with this prayer and yet knows: It is actually what I deserve! But again God is there with His mercy. Jesus came to take what we have deserved, even taking up the very word “forsaken.” If there was ever a thing beyond enduring it was for the sinless Son of God to be forsaken and condemned for others’ sins. He was forsaken so I would never have to be. In this way – the most extreme of all acts of salvation – He has taken us sinners brought us in, given us His own holiness and made us His saints. To God alone be the glory! Prayer: Lord, Your word calls, Your word restores, and You surround me with Your words and promises. Help me to treasure the “Yes!”, the “Amen!”, and the promises in Jesus; so the sustaining, strengthening promises I have in Him may fill my hours and moments, my days and nights. Amen.
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Verse 1 opens up into an amazing thought, a remarkable idea. What does it mean to walk in the “Torah” of the LORD? Torah is the word that is almost always translated in English as “Law.” And once we hear “Law” we immediately think of commandments – the should’s and should-not’s. But the word Torah means so much more. In fact the Torah is the first 5 books of the Bible with every word from God and every thing that happens in them. It is God revealing Himself, God creating, and then blessing Adam and Eve; and through them all of humanity (Genesis 1:26 ff). It is the story of how God, when He found Adam and Eve having wandered off and rebelling, did not sweep them and us away into destruction; but instead promised a Savior, the Seed of the woman. He would be born for us and would conquer sin and death; and He would be wounded in the battle. It is the story of God calling Abraham to go to the mountain of God and act out “the sacrifice”—the sacrifice on the mountain where only God the Father would actually go through with it. So Abraham goes three days, puts the wood on his son, answers Isaac by saying, “God Himself will provide the Lamb,” and then receives his son, his only son whom he loves, back from the dead. It is a picture of Jesus. It is the story of God redeeming His people, through the blood of the lamb, again a picture of Jesus. He brings them through the waters, and to His mountain. He says, “I am the Lord your God who brought you out . . .” and calls them His people. We could go on endlessly, but . . . These are the events, the scenery and the heritage of our lives. It’s like the landmarks, the scenery and all the familiar places of our youth; and what it would be like if we could go back and find them just like they were, landmarks that endure and places to savor the memories. But these are the landmarks of God, the places and memories of His plan of salvation. Walking in the Torah is walking through His story and finding things are just like He said they would be. When we see all the parts of how God has revealed His love, His will, and His plan of salvation; walking in these things is very special. It goes way beyond rules and commandments. It is a much deeper experience. It is at the beginning of everything we are and everything in our lives. To walk in the Torah of the Lord is to journey through life, from one day to the next with the things of God all around us. It is, within our souls, to look at the world a certain way – filled with the promises of Eden, the drama of God talking with Abraham, the promise of the lamb “who takes away the sin of the world,” and the word of God as our map through all the questions of right and wrong. It is to live in the relationship that God has given us in our creation and in Jesus Christ. Only one person has ever truly walked in the Law / the Torah of the Lord. This is the One whose way is blameless. It is Jesus and the Torah is His story. He is “the seed of the woman,” the “Lamb of God,” the Passover, the way through the sea to freedom. He is also the One who takes the curse – though He was blameless and innocent He took our punishment. By His cross and tomb He takes my story and makes it His; and then He takes His story and makes it mine. My sin is placed on Him. And what is written about Him becomes mine: blessed, blameless and called a child of God. We are clothed by the holiness of Jesus and will stand before God innocent and pure. What an amazing gift of grace! And then we look at the world all around us; and we see the hand of God in so many things that happen in our lives. We go through the day with an awareness of God. He is present with us everywhere. And at the end of the day we rest from all the turmoil. We commit ourselves into the hands of God, and trust in His mercy and His goodness. Walking with God also means that this world is not our home. We have an amazing relationship with God and all the promises of eternity. We look back on our history, and look over our life (thinking again of Abraham) and we say, “My father was a wandering Aramean.” (Deuteronomy 26:5) It is both part of our family history and the hope of our future. As Abraham did we also “look forward to a city . . . whose designer and builder is God;” (Hebrews 11:10) a city, right now being formed and gathered by Jesus Christ. That is why the first verse, that talks about walking in the Torah of the LORD, leads right into v. 2. “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies.” We keep, treasure and hold these things in our memories. God has told us about His love and His plan for us. He has witnessed to His Grace and mercy through every act and part of the plan of salvation. And the witnesses and the testimonies are more than we could ever list. Read Hebrews 11. And then remember the “faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead” Jesus Christ. The greatest of His testimonies is the one written in the flesh of His own hands. It is the testimony that we will one day see in the hands of Jesus when He gathers all His people on the Day of Resurrection. Prayer: Lord and Savior, You walked with Abraham, showing Your plan of salvation. You walked with Moses and led the people of Israel through the wilderness. And then You walked with Your disciples, feeding, healing, praying, dying and rising. You did all this so I might walk with You forever. As You filled their lives so fill my days with the things of God. Let me understand Your ways and Your purpose in gathering Your kingdom. Lead my heart and mind that they may be filled with Your words and may I see Your hand and Your mercy in every part of life. In Your holy name I pray. Amen. |
Rev. Mark WilligPastor Willig is pastor emeritus of Friends in Christ Lutheran Church. Archives
December 2023
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