79: COMMUNITY – RESOLVING TO RECEIVE SUPPORT FROM OTHERS: The psalmist writes, “May those who fear you turn to me, those who understand your statutes.” He realizes that there are many others who follow after God who could in this time of his life offer him support. And so he asks of God, “Please, bring people around me to help me make it.” Turn people in my direction. Let people cross my path. Allow me to be with others who are like-minded so that I can be encouraged to live according to the way your hands have made me.
In both verses 74 and 79, the phrase to describe the community is “those who fear you.” In verse 74, the psalmist asks that those who fear God would be encouraged by the way he lived; that his pursuit of God would inspire them. And in verse 79, the psalmist asks that those who fear God would encourage him by the way that they live.
This is how church community is supposed to work. We are not supposed to be isolated on our own in our hardships striving to live with failed New Year’s resolutions. No, we live for God first and foremost seeking communion with him. And by living for God and discovering his core truths, the result is that we live in communion with each other. We lift each other up. Our desire becomes to encourage others to live for God and to have others encourage us. When this happens we can’t help but to rejoice. Are you trying to resolve to fix your life on your own? Are you in some hardship and don’t know how you’re going to make it because you feel separated from God and are lacking good support in community? Ask God to turn people who fear Him towards you. Don’t go it alone. And finally, again, remember to live how you were created to live.
80: ME – RESOLVING TO LIVE HOW I AM CREATED TO LIVE: Verse 80 says, “May my heart be blameless in keeping your principles; then I will never have to be ashamed.” When we live according to how God made us, then we cannot be ashamed. Shame is not a part of God’s creation. Shame is a result of failed human resolutions. When we resolve to live the way we were created to live, then we will be able to live in His joy and peace. May we understand live God’s ways and live with his resolve.
Do you want a new resolve this year? Then seek to understand that…
- God created you
- To inspire others in community
- To embrace His discipline
- To know his unfailing love
- To know His unending compassion
- To succeed through hardship
- To receive support from others
- SO THAT you could live according to His ways.