Scripture – vs. 41-43
May your unfailing love come to me, Lord,
your salvation, according to your promise;
then I can answer anyone who taunts me,
for I trust in your word.
Never take your word of truth from my mouth,
for I have put my hope in your laws.
Observe – Love, salvation and promise precede a passage about the “law” and the “word”. How different from our Canadian perspective of living within the law and words of authority. Yet, I can imagine a loving father desiring the best for his children, establishing guidelines to protect and save his children from evil consequences.
Apply – Jesus said in Matthew 5:17-18…
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”
The Psalmist reminds me that God loves me, God has saved me and God made me a promise. My role is to live out what God has given so freely. Jesus echoes the Psalmist, but reminds us in the rest of Matthew 5-7 that we aren’t to follow the letter of the law, not to focus on our human rights. NO! The ‘sermon on the mount’ reminds us to live up to the spirit of the law, to focus on our human responsibilities and our divine calling. To go way past the letter of the law and live out a new reality in Jesus.
To “put my hope in your laws,” means to put my life into God’s hands, God’s plan, God’s guidelines. I need to surrender my rights and rather live out my responsibilities. What is God calling me to live out today?
Pray – Jesus, help me put my hope in your laws, the deep spirit of your laws. Help me to love you with all my heart, soul and mind. Help me to love others like-wise. Remind me of your word today. Help me to live it out knowing you love me, you’ve saved me and I’m living out your promise to me.
Lloyd Letkeman
Lloyd is married to Carol and the two of them are Regional Mission Mobilizers – Prairie Region for Mennonite Bretheren Mission.