26^th April

“How can a young person stay pure? By obeying Your word…. I have hidden Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”

Psalms 119:9,11

In a world full of temptations and trials, how do we stay pure and holy? Not just young people but the older generation too. Do we just lock ourselves in a room, blotting out the world around us, waiting for Jesus to return? Of course not. We are called to be the salt and light in this world. Our role as beacons of Jesus’ light is to boldly shine for Him in the dark places. Yet how can we be in a world of sin, and not fall into it’s snares and traps? Well the writer of the Psalms wisely gives us the answer. By letting the word of God (Scripture) saturate every part of your life. Moreover by letting the Word of God (Jesus) live in your hearts.

This wonderful passage in Psalm 119:9-16, gives us the keys and tools to staying pure and holy in an impure and unholy world. The Psalmist points out that we must obey God’s word, hide His word in our hearts, learn God’s decrees, recite His regulations aloud, rejoice in God’s laws, study His commands, reflect on His ways, delight in His decrees, and remember His word. This may seem like a comprehensive list of ‘must do’s’, but in order to know more about God, in order to stay pure, we must feed on His word. You can’t obey something you don’t know!

It’s almost like buying a car or a computer. If you don’t read the manual, you won’t know how to use it. Of course you can do it alone, but when you make a mistake, or when something goes wrong, you have only yourself to blame. Much is the same with our lives. When we live outside of God’s best for us, when we don’t feed on the ‘manual for life’, our lives can quickly fall into a downward spiral. YET because of Jesus’ grace and love, there is always a chance to come back to Him. He beckons us home, and gives us every opportunity to start again. It is never too late. Feed on His word, and allow the Word to live in you.