LIGHT OF UNDERSTANDING (7)

“GIVE ME UNDERSTANDING, and I shall KEEP Your Law; indeed, I shall OBSERVE it with my WHOLE HEART” – Psalm 119:34  

The LIGHT of UNDERSTANDING ignites whole-hearted Obedience to God’s Word: “GIVE ME UNDERSTANDING, and I shall KEEP Your Law; indeed, I shall OBSERVE it with my WHOLE HEART” (Psa.119:34). This second verse of the fifth stanza of Psalm 119, clearly parallels the previous: “Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end” (v.33). The desired effect of being taught is to gain understanding. David desired to keep God’s statutes all through life, and observe the law whole-heartedly. He longed for an understanding that was both deep and wide; deep enough to penetrate the entirety of his heart, and wide enough to be totally loyal to, all through life.

Yesterday’s devotional noted that Wisdom and Understandng are Heart-born, being products and rewards of the meditating heart: “My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the MEDITATION of my HEART shall give UNDERSTANDING” (Psa.49:3). Meditation is thoughtful contemplation or reflection on a matter over a period of time. Biblical meditation is the process of thinking scripturally; bringing God’s Word into everyday thought life. Psalm 1:2 says the person is blessed whose “delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.” Joshua 1:8a buttresses the same truth: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night...” 

A less-than-enthusiastic obedience is dishonouring to God. Such a forced obedience also portrays the notion that our life and schedule have been interrupted because of His command or request. What honours God in the life of those who claim Christ, is a whole-hearted obedience, not an obedience of necessity. In his case, the psalmist’s objective was to observe the way of God’s statutes to the end of his life, and to achieve this with his whole heart! As Believers, our attitude and obedience to God are reflections of our love for God. David’s prayers revealed his genuine desire to please the Lord by walking in whole-hearted obedience to His Word: “Make me UNDERSTAND the way of Your precepts; so shall I meditate of Your wonderful works” (Psa.119:27). His was not a prayer of compulsion, but of a man who loved God.

As we are taught and we meditate on God’s Thoughts as encoded in His Word, we gain Understanding of God’s perspectives – the values He attaches to diverse matters such as: Life, Time, health, prosperity, success, service, leadership, followership, relationships, riches, wealth, power, Death, and Eternity. This enables us to align our thoughts and ways with His, be stabilized in heart and properly guided in life, and obey the Lord whole-heartedly. We cannot obey His Word beyond our level of Understanding of the same, which demands commitment and diligence. The Light of Understanding is not wasted on the slothful: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God...” (2 Tim.2:15a).