Title: When the Obedient Is Persecuted
When the obedient suffer persecution 2005-04-24
“Remove the reproach I fear from me, for your ordinances are good” (Psalm 119:39).
I. Text Commentary
In Psalm 119, the poet confesses the difficulties faced by believers who want to live in obedience to God's Word and the story of overcoming them.
II. The Obedient Poet's Life - In the first part of Psalm 119, we see the poet's beautiful attitude toward the Word and his obedience worthy of imitation.
A. Longing for the Word (verse 27): “Make me understand the way of Your precepts, and I will meditate on Your wonders.”
B. The desire to obey (verse 35): “Let me walk in the course of Your commandments, and I will walk in Your law, and keep it with all my heart.”
The poet's inner world was ready to be willing to obey every word of God. A person who is not prepared to obey counts his own sacrifice when asked to obey. But the true believer is always willing to give himself up to the demands of the Word.
III. nevertheless encountering adversity
The poet longed for the Word as earnestly as a deer longed for a brook, and although he had a heart and was ready to obey the word he realized, the poet faced adversity. This is a result different from our notion that the road of life will be like a highway before the obedient.
A. Fearful Interference
The life that the poet, who deeply longed for the Word of God and struggled to obey it completely, met, was never a smooth and peaceful life. Even those who are obedient will suffer. Because the world is on the side of those who love him, not on the side of those who love God.
However, sometimes we are upset because suffering has come to us as we try to live obediently according to God's will. But this can be very disrespectful. How can we have a sad heart toward God? Do not think of suffering as a judgment or discipline of unconditional disobedience! Sometimes God sends hardships to good believers who live obediently in order to accomplish His secret works in that person. Therefore, you should not be discouraged if you are constantly facing hardships even when you try to live obediently. Even when fearful hindrances come, and great hardships overtake us, we must not give up the effort of obedience. The world does not remember our obedient lives, but God will remember them all...
B. Fragile Human
When we realize that we cannot live up to God's call to obedience on our own in the midst of obstacles, we open our eyes to our own weakness. O good-natured ones who want to obey God! Don't complain that a prosperous road doesn't open even when you're trying to obey! There can be no error in God's plans and decrees. In the midst of persecution that appeared when he tried to live in obedience, the poet learned the beautiful character of God. Meditate on the life of Jesus Christ, the only One who perfectly obeyed the will of God. Did you walk the prosperous path with goodwill? Rather, because Jesus lived a life of perfect obedience, he lived like a loner while he lived on this earth. He suffered endlessly and shed tears to obey God.
Our obedience is not because of some visible reward. It is because they hope for the fulfillment of God's ultimate plan.
IV. Prayers that give you strength to obey
How did the poet overcome difficulties and live a life of all obedience? It was a prayer. The text is the content of the poet's prayer. Through these prayers, the poet overcame the difficulties he faced while living obediently.
A. Belief in the goodness of the Lord's commandments
In the prayer of the text we see the poet's faith in the goodness of the Lord's commandments. The reason the poet faced a terrible hindrance in the world was because he kept the commandments and kept them alive. If the poet had forsaken the commandments and lived in pleasure like the rest of the world, he would not have suffered from hindrance. He was lonely because of the commandments, and he was persecuted because of the commandments. But he did not doubt the goodness of the commandment. He knew that the commandments would lead his life to the ultimate glory of God. If goodness is a beautiful state that conforms to God's will, then the commandments are a stepping stone to that 'good'. Man's plans often fail, but God's plans are perfect and without mistakes. Therefore, in the midst of difficulties, we must hold onto Him.
B. The power of prayer to revive the soul
When they want to live according to God's will, but encounter circumstances that prevent them from living that way, the only thing a believer can do is pray. So obedience and prayer are inseparable. Obedience is a tree planted in the land of the Word and growing by drinking the water of prayer. So, all those who lived a life of obedience were people of the Word and people of prayer at the same time. Prayer enables us to experience God's love that overcomes hardships and to enjoy God's comfort that overcomes adversity. It is the Word of God that teaches us how to live, but the strength that keeps us determined to live by the Word of God comes from prayer. Therefore, if you want to live a life of upright obedience, you must pray.
How much effort have you made for obedience? Just as the poet clinged to God in prayer in the face of a fearful hindrance, so we must cling to God in prayer. 2005-04-24