Psalm 119:27
Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wonderous word! Psalm 119:27
When I look at this verse, I at once think of Psalm 23…
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Psalm 23:1-3 ESV
I have fallen in love with the idea that my Father “makes” me do the things that are “needful” for me.
Okay, so now is confession time. “I am a bad decision maker!” I am sorry but that is the truth. Left to my own devices and my flesh, I make bad decisions. I need someone to make decisions for me.
That is why I love the wording of this verse, “Make me understand the way of your precepts.” Look at this with me and see what it does not say. It does not say “help me understand.” It does not say “help me study” or “help me learn.” It says “make me understand” in a very straightforward way.
If I am a child of God, I want Him to “make” me do things that are good, safe, and right. And when He does, it will cause me to mediate on these “wonderous” things.
I have realized that I have put too much of myself into bible reading and bible study and bible learning. In my immaturity I have called on myself too much and on God not enough. I have not relied on God to “make me understand.” I have not approached my time in the Bible as a time for God to reveal Himself to me. I have not given myself to God’s process of revelation and sanctification. I have tried too hard to do it my way, instead of being needy on Him to do it His way.
I want Him to “make me understand” and I want to ponder and meditate on the fascinating Word that He has given me.
In counseling session application:
List examples of how God has “made” you follow His way this week?
Is your response to Him “making you understand” a negative or positive response?
Do you take time to mediate on the wonderous ways He reveals Himself to you through His Word? Through prayer? Through wise people? Through circumstances?
Outside the counseling session homework:
Journal about how you see God’s grace in your life. Write about examples of comforting grace and painful grace.
Find a verse like Psalm 23:1-3 or 119:27 and mediate on it throughout the week. Write down your observations and be ready to share them with a friend.
Father, you are so good. You know what I need more than I do. I love that you gently and lovingly make me do the things that are good for me. I want Your precepts more than I want anything else. Help me each day to not drift and get distracted by the cares of this world. Remind me to cherish all that You are doing in my life so that I will mediate on You and Your kingdom and not my own. Make me who You have designed me to be. Amen!
If you find this message difficult to hear. If you do not like to be made to do something, you do not want to do it. You are in good company. Paul spoke to this in Romans 7:15-20. The Burke Care team would love to walk you through how the Gospel of Jesus Christ addresses this human frailty we all deal with.
