Day 299: Your Most Valuable Possession (Psalm 119:97–104, 2 Timothy 4:1–22, Jeremiah 51:15–64)
Psalm 119:97–104
מ Mem
97 Oh, how I love your law!
I meditate on it all day long.
98 Your commands are always with me
and make me wiser than my enemies.
99 I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your statutes.
100 I have more understanding than the elders,
for I obey your precepts.
101 I have kept my feet from every evil path
so that I might obey your word.
102 I have not departed from your laws,
for you yourself have taught me.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 I gain understanding from your precepts;
therefore I hate every wrong path.
Commentary
Love God’s words
Without God, our lives make no sense. As we read his word we understand the meaning and purpose of our lives: ‘With your instruction I understand life’ (v.104, MSG). Nothing could be more important or more valuable than this.
At his coronation, at the start of his reign, King Charles III was handed a copy of the Bible with these words, ‘We present you with this Book, the most valuable thing that this world affords.’
The psalmist writes, ‘Oh, how I love your law!’ (v.97a). He says, ‘I reverently ponder it all the day long’ (v.97b, MSG). He writes, ‘Your words are so choice, so tasty; I prefer them to the best home cooking’ (v.103, MSG).
The effect of loving God’s word, and meditating on it, is to give you wisdom (v.98), insight (v.99) and understanding (vv.100,104): ‘I’ve even become smarter than my teachers’ (v.99, MSG). It makes you determined to keep your feet from every evil and wrong path (vv.101,104).
Prayer
Lord, thank you that your words give me wisdom, insight and understanding. Help me to love them, to meditate on them and to obey them.
2 Timothy 4:1–22
4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in vie
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