Psalm 19, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #286: LETTERS AND REMINDER

MEMORY VERSE: "Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had nearly slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; their bodies are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts come iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. They say, "How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?" This is what the wicked are like--always carefree, they increase in wealth. Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning." Psalm 73:1-14

NOTES: ¹ The heavens declare the glory of God; 

   the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
² Day after day they pour forth speech;
   night after night they reveal knowledge.
³ They have no speech, they use no words;
   no sound is heard from them.
⁴ Yet their voice^[b] goes out into all the earth,
   their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
 ⁵ It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
   like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
⁶ It rises at one end of the heavens
   and makes its circuit to the other;
   nothing is deprived of its warmth.

 ⁷ The law of the LORD is perfect,
   refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
   making wise the simple.
⁸ The precepts of the LORD are right,
   giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
   giving light to the eyes.
⁹ The fear of the LORD is pure,
   enduring forever.
The decrees of the LORD are firm,
   and all of them are righteous.

 ¹⁰ They are more precious than gold,
   than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
   than honey from the honeycomb.
¹¹ By them your servant is warned;
   in keeping them there is great reward.
¹² But who can discern their own errors?
   Forgive my hidden faults.
¹³ Keep your servant also from willful sins;
   may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
   innocent of great transgression.

 ¹⁴ May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
   be pleasing in your sight,
   LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

When I read through this passage, Job 22:25 came to mind: "Then the Almighty will be your gold; the choicest silver for you." Here, it's evident that the man who seeks God fervently and passionately delights in the Lord and has no other treasure but Him. Even nature worships God as David describes the sun as "a champion rejoicing to run his course." When I offer a brutally honest reflection on my own life, I know that my treasure has lied in things other than God more times that I would like to admit. No matter how close I may feel to God one day, there is always something that can distract my fickle heart from focusing on God. But that's what makes this passage so comforting, knowing that despite all of my inconsistencies and failures, "The commands of the Lord are radiant; giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever." Ultimately, I pray that the "word of my mouth and the meditations of my heart" be pleasing to God, my Rock and my Redeemer.

ACT OF LOVE: Made the effort to call my mom during lunch to remind her of my rehearsal this afternoon so she wouldn't pick me up at the wrong time. Even though I was never asked to remind her, she was really grateful that I called because she would have otherwise forgotten!
Also, wrote letters to two of my friends in college. It's been a while since I had written anyone, so I thought I'd surprise them with a colorful letter in the mail!