119:17-19 Blessing in God’s will. The psalmist challenges us to seek blessing not for ourselves, but instead God’s blessing in order to do God’s will: a heartfelt desire to please God, first and foremost, instead of our own selves.
119:20-22 Blessing instead of judgment. The one who pursues the Lord, who treasures what God has said rather than what God’s enemies have said, is the one who will enjoy His blessing – and not His judgment – forever.
119:23-24 Blessing instead of despair. God’s blessing matters not just for the future, but even in the present. The way to delight is found not in focusing on those who oppose the Lord, not in how they seek to harm the ones who follow God’s words, but instead: we focus on what our Lord has said.
The Point: True blessing comes from treasuring what the Lord says matters most. We see this perfectly lived out in Jesus, and His joy in the Lord is given to we who trust in Him.
Prayer: Lord, let us not seek your blessing instead of You, but rather: give us hearts and minds that want You most of all – and who delight in how your word tells us of who you are. Form us, mold and re-make us, to be a people who passionately pursue knowing and doing all that You have said.
Application: What needs to change in your life so that you would delight in God’s word? How will you fill your mind and heart with what God has said so that you’d delight in Jesus even when life is hard and faith isn’t easy?
Here is how I will apply these truths:
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