Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 2-147 Sunday 28 Jul 2002

Reading – Psalm 119:89-136 PLEASURE AND NOURISHMENT

‘By your words I can see where I’m going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path.’ (Ps 119:105, The Message)

The psalmists are ruthlessly honest about the realities of human life. Even in this celebration of the God who has spoken to his people in such a range of ways, there is a note of pain and frustration. Why do we face opposition (vs 95,110,121)? Why do we suffer (vs 92,107)? Why does God not act (vs 123,126)?

There is no room for easy optimism or glib denial and yet, amid these struggles, the word shines brightly (v 105). It brings understanding (vs 99,104,130) and direction (vs 105,133). Somehow it makes sense of the struggles, setting them in a wider perspective. Evil may appear to flourish but God will have the last word (vs 118,119). It is, therefore, appropriate that we join the writer in loving the Law (vs 97 127), and deriving pleasure and nourishment from it (vs 103, 127). Only as we make it a priority to meditate on this Word, giving it time to penetrate the inner person; does life take on a different perspective. We need to cultivate a longing for the Word – and supremely for the God whom we meet in that Word – that has a certain visceral content to it (v 131). This is nothing less than a matter of survival.

The new perspective which we gain is not all sweetness (v 103) and light (v 105). It is fraught with pain and tears (v 136). For as we read the Word and make it our own so we are transformed and begin to see a broken and sinful world through God’s eyes – eyes of judgement, yes (v 119), but judgement that can never be other than deeply painful to the loving Creator.

What in the world has troubled you this week? How do you view it in the light of today’s reading?

– John Grayston

Copyright Scripture Union, 2002

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