Devotional thought of the day:

¹⁰⁵  Your word is a lamp to guide me and a light for my path. ¹⁰⁶  I will keep my solemn promise to obey your just instructions. ¹⁰⁷  My sufferings, LORD, are terrible indeed; keep me alive, as you have promised. ¹⁰⁸  Accept my prayer of thanks, O LORD, and teach me your commands. ¹⁰⁹  I am always ready to risk my life; I have not forgotten your law. ¹¹⁰  The wicked lay a trap for me, but I have not disobeyed your commands. ¹¹¹  Your commandments are my eternal possession; they are the joy of my heart. ¹¹²  I have decided to obey your laws until the day I die.      Psalm 119:105-112 (TEV) 

881 Sacrifice yourself, give yourself, and work at souls one by one, as the jeweller works on precious stones: one by one. Indeed you should exercise even more care, because you are dealing with something of incomparable value. The purpose of that spiritual attention you give is to prepare good instruments for the service of God: and they, each one of them, have cost Christ all of his Blood. (1)

We should fear love and trust God in God above all things… and so…(2)

Over the past decade, people have taken polar sides on for little letters WWJD.  Some use it as a strong reminder, an encouragement to strive against sin, especially sin of ommission.  Some see it as a condemning law, a standard that can only beat people into the earth as they fail and fail again. The odd thing is that many in the latter group extol the liturgical use of confession and absolution, whereas the former group often dismisses the sacrament.

As usual, I find a third way to look at it, a different route to take.

For years churches have sung a song written with the first verse of the reading from Psalm 119 above.  It is a good worship song, a prayer that is not unlike a modern Kyrie, asking Jesus our Lord to have mercy on our journey.

But how often do we look at the path described, the hardship the determination of the writer to be faithful during trial, to treasure the commandments? Are we ready and determined to risk our very lives in doing that which the Lord has willed – to assist those who need to come to repentance, to be trasnformed by the very love and mercy of God?  How can we live following the path that God’s light, His glory illuminates for us?

So do we give up?  Do we take the theologians escape route, and say that this passage is a prophetic look at Jesus, and is to much of a burden for us?  THat it is only about Christ?

No, we cannot.  This psalm is our cry as much as Christ’s, indeed it is ours the moment we are claimed by God, as the Holy Spirit quickens, brings to life our heart. (see Ezekiel 36:25ff and Ezekiel 37:1-12, Acts 2:37-39 and Titus 2:2-8)  Realize that walking this path is what God has called us to, why he has recreated us and we are the fullness of His craftmanship – created for this very thing.  To walk this path, with Christ, in Christ, To do What Jesus Would Do, for as we live in Him, He is doing this thing.

Living and working in His will that none would perish, Embracing hardships and suffering, learning from Him, being willing to risk it all – that someone else would know Jesus’ love (even those who know it already – but need the encouragement we are here to give each other).  To take joy in GOd’s plan, in His providence.  That is what it means to live in His presence, to have an incrantional theology, to know Christ and Him crucified…

That’s what Jesus did… and in Christ, absorbed by Him, we shall as well…..

Lord have mercy!

(1)Escriva, Josemaria (2011-01-31). The Forge (Kindle Locations 3110-3113). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edition.

(2)  Luther’s Small Catechism