17+ times... that's a lot.

I've been doing a Bible study in which I have spent some time reading Psalm 119. One thing I have noticed is that over and over again David writes things like, "I delight in your commandments." or, "Oh how I love your law!" and even, "Your law is my delight." I realized the other day that the Bible David had was Leviticus, the commandments, and some engaging and powerful stories of other men before him. But really, it was a lot of what we would consider "the boring stuff" of the Bible. And David loved it. It was what brought him joy, and delight, and it lifted his spirit. A lot of Psalm 119 is about the importance of loving God's law and how important it is to know it and live by it. Over 17 times David simply expresses the depths of his heart with something like, "Your law is my delight." No wonder David is known as a man after God's own heart. The Bible expresses all of God's heart... and David delighted in it.

And it makes me think, I want to be a woman after God's heart. In many Christian circles, including my own, it is so easy to glaze over reading a passage that says, "And I shall delight in your commandments, which I love. And I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I love..." (vs 47-48) How easy is it to read and talk about how important it is for our lives. But how difficult it is to make that a reality in my own heart. To delight in reading, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit..." or "one who touches a corpse will be unclean for seven days." One pierces the heart in a way that is so difficult to live it tends to be ignored, let alone delighted in, and the other causes one to say, "so whys that important?" So how do you delight in things like that!?! Now, yes, I believe both are important passages, that they should be respected, trusted, followed, obeyed.... but making it my joy? It seems difficult. And how do you get past  the "Christian talk" of it, to it being the joy of your heart, to it bringing Life to your life?

I was "picturing" this passage (that was for my 1-on-1 friends... ehem, mom and dad.) And I was thinking about the rules in my classroom. I totally believe that they are best for each child. The rules keep them safe, help them to learn, respects each other... they bring freedom within the learning experience. My class will follow the rules. (Well, most of them will follow the rules.) And they might understand that we have to sit quietly so they can hear the instructions, or that we don't run because we can get hurt... They obey because they know they should. They don't get at all the freedom and joy that comes from obeying the rules. And this really caused me to picture myself in God's classroom, sitting criss-cross on the carpet, with my hands in my lap, eyes on the teacher, listening ears on, raising a quiet hand... (you get the picture, right?) listening to Him tell me to obey the rules. And I'm just like my students. Following what my Teacher tells me because I know I am supposed to. Not because I delight in it. I do it because I want the praise from My Teacher, get a sticker to put on my shirt, or get a special blessing from the treasure box. I'm obeying, which is great, don't get me wrong, that is what God has told me to do... but I'm leaving out the "with joy" part...

I am just like my 5 year old students... I don't fully get the freedom that comes from obedience. And the joy that comes from that freedom. As a teacher I understand the value of instilling this concept into a child. And as a student of God's, I'm realizing the discipline it takes to move past the immature obedience for a tangible treasure box blessing... I'm discovering that the joy comes from freedom, and that freedom comes from obedience... I want it to become part of me, that I can say I delight in it all.

I guess what all I am trying to say is that I can't shake from my mind how much David loved the Bible, and how much it became part of his DNA. And reading it, makes me want that passion for my life too. And now thinking, how I get that passion... I want to move past the shallow waters of Christianity talk and swim in deep waters with Christ and walk out my relationship with Him... I love how God's Word tells us that if we seek God with a pure heart, He will teach us and open our eyes...


"Teach my your statutes. Make me understand the ways of your precepts, so I will meditate on your wonders..." 


"Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him and He will do it."


"And I shall delight in your commandments, which I love..."


Lord, may Your Word be my joy...