Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.
Not so the wicked!
    They are like chaff
    that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
    nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

• Psalm 1:1-6

The law of the Lord is perfect,
    refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
    making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right,
    giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
    giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is pure,
    enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous.

• Psalm 19:7-9

I am a stranger on earth;
    do not hide your commands from me.

• Psalm 119:19

Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees,
    that I may follow it to the end.
Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law
    and obey it with all my heart.
Direct me in the path of your commands,
    for there I find delight.

• Psalm 119:33-35

In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,

• 1 John 5:3

“it is grace to know God’s commands. They release us from self-made plans and conflicts. They make our steps certain and our way joyful. God gives his commands in order that we may fulfill them, and ‘his commands are not burdensome’ (1 John 5:3) for those who have found all salvation in Jesus Christ. Jesus has himself been under the law and has fulfilled it in total obedience to the Father. God’s will becomes his joy, his nourishment. So he gives thanks in us for the grace of the law and grants to us joy in its fulfillment. Now we confess our love for the law, we affirm that we gladly keep it, and we ask that we may continue to be kept blameless in it. We do that not in our own power, but we pray it in the name of Jesus Christ who is for us and in us.”

• Dietrich Bonhoeffer, psalms, The Prayer Book of the Bible

Dietrich Bonhoeffer covers the next classification by focusing on Psalms 1, 19, and 119.  As with Creation, these psalms are not totally focused on God’s Law.  They, however, speak of God’s commands and the elements that Bonhoeffer mentions: obeying the law, loving the law, nourished by the law.

But Bonhoeffer also mentions that being held blameless is not within our power.  We can only be seen as blameless through Jesus Christ who was in full obedience to the Father when under the law and Jesus is for us and within us.  With Jesus within us, we have the power to resist temptation and His blood washes away all sin in our lives.

Lord, guide us as we pray.  Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end. (Psalm 119:33)  Thank you for giving us Your commandments.  Thank you for setting the bar high so that we first realize how puny we are and how great You are, but also what is expected of us is not a little improvement, but perfection. In the name of Jesus, I pray.  Amen.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.