Coffee With The Lord

I’ve just about completed reading Psalm 119 again as a part of my daily Bible reading… It’s an acrostic Psalm with a passage built around each letter of the Hebrew alphabet.  Each year (and there have been a lot of ‘em for me) I’ve read it and it takes me a little over three weeks to complete it.  And each time I find myself marveling at the incredible power and beauty of God’s Word!

I mean reflect on the words of the Psalmist in the next to last section this morning as an example…

“My heart stands in awe of your words!  I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil!  I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law.  Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous rules.  Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble! … My soul keeps your testimonies; I love them exceedingly.  I keep your precepts and testimonies, for all my ways are before you!” (from Psalm 119:161–168 ESV)

To me, Psalm 119 is a little like looking at a world class diamond from every possible angle, under every possible light, against every possible background, enjoying each facet and the refraction of light it produces… turning it slowly and savoring each experience of reflected light and the incredible beauty it produces.   It is a tribute to and celebration of God’s wonderful word which has the power to strengthen, nourish, and guide my life, and yours, all the way from birth to heaven!

In the words of an earlier verse in Psalm 119: “Oh how I love Your Law… It is my meditation all the day long!” (Psalm 119:97)

NOTE: Pictured are the Centenary Diamond, one of the world’s largest cut diamonds and what Google lists as the world’s largest diamond ring.

Have you ever gotten a bill that scared you nearly to death? I have! When you received it you realized you owed it – your name was on the contract, your credit card was involved, your name was on the sales slip. In fact, it may have been incurred by your own foolish decisions or neglect. You were frightened, you were overwhelmed, and you did not know what you were going to do in order to pay it!

My sin left me feeling that way! Guilt overwhelmed me! I knew God would hold me accountable! I felt guilty. I realized I had wronged both the Lord and others and I had no idea what I could do to make it right. The debt was too great!

Then I heard the wonderful message of the Gospel! Jesus died for my sin – the righteous for the unrighteous! He paid the sin-debt I owed! He offered complete forgiveness to me if I would only receive it by faith! Incredible “good news!”

I thought about that reality as I read the following words in my Bible reading this morning during “coffee with the Lord”…

“You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ – He forgave all our sins! He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross!” (Colossians 2:13-15 NTL)

The Bible calls Satan “the accuser!” He stands like a vicious collection agent demanding payment and reminding us of our guilt. But Jesus stands beside the Heavenly Father to remind Him of what He did for us on the Cross. The picture this passage presents is that of our accusation – our bill of indebtedness – nailed to Christ’s cross with our name on it with the words emblazoned across it in blood-red… “PAID IN FULL!” (And let me add this bit of a postscript… That “PAID IN FULL” is sufficient to take care of the sins of every living person on planet earth for all time, regardless of how vile they have been! It is offered to all who will believe and receive Christ’s free gift!)

The moral climate in America and around the world today is in serious decline and characterized by relativism and alarming deterioration. What can the righteous do as they seek to live for God in such a world and raise their children?

One thing for sure… they must not compromise the clear teaching of the Bible! They must embrace its moral absolutes and teach them to their children!

Psalm 119:137-144 emphasizes the importance of God’s word in our lives in troubled times…

“Righteous are you, O LORD, and right are your rules. You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness… Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it. I am small and despised, yet I do not forget your precepts. Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your law is true. Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight. Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live.” (from Psalm 119:137–144 ESV)

Three analogies about the importance of God’s word in a world like ours came to mind this morning as I read these verses during my time of “coffee with the Lord”…

The teaching of the Bible is like a solid foundation in the shift sands of moral relativism!

God’s word is a mighty rock you can anchor to when the storms of life would seek to destroy your faith!

As you seek to raise your children and gain guidance for your own life, Scripture provides the reliable moral compass that will keep you (and them) on the right track.

So for me, in this world characterized my moral relativism and deteriorating values, I intend to embrace the teaching of Scripture as never before! Will you join me?