Psalm 119: 145-152

Scripture:
With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O LORD! 
      I will keep your statutes. 
I call to you; save me, 
      that I may observe your testimonies. 
I rise before dawn and cry for help; 
      I hope in your words. 
My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, 
      that I may meditate on your promise. 
Hear my voice according to your steadfast love; 
      O LORD, according to your justice give me life. 
They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose; 
      they are far from your law. 
But you are near, O LORD, 
      and all your commandments are true. 
Long have I known from your testimonies 
      that you have founded them forever.  -Psalm 119:145-152, ESV


Observation:
-The psalmist does not take his role lightly:  he cries out to God with his whole heart, he gets up before the sun,  when necessary he even forgoes sleep.
-The Psalmist knows God; knows His character and trusts Him to be true to Himself.  In essence he understands that God holds his life in His hands.

Dark-Eyed Junco-a winter visitor that shows up only on the very cold and/or snowy days at our feeders.

Application:
There is a distinct difference between the work of the psalmist and the work of God revealed in these verses.  It is interesting to note that the psalmist is not running around trying to fix things on his own.  He is spending his labors in another way, a way that is perhaps not so natural for us.  First, we note that he is crying out to God with his whole heart.  His heart is not divided in its focus, he knows that he needs God.  This is not some little prayer offered up as a backup, some kind of insurance.  This is the cry of a man who recognizes that only God can do what needs to be done.  I see his work as putting himself in a place where God can work.

How often do I try to fix things first and then seek God when my fix  did not work out the way I intended.  Today's reading is a gentle reminder to put first things first.  Seek ye first the kingdom of God...  

I am thinking about the little dark-eyed junco in my photograph.  He flits around doing what he was made to do.  On his winter journey he is totally unaware of the person God had prepared ahead of him to provide food to help him through this winter of extremes.  He is just doing what a bird does.  Let me be about doing what a follower of Jesus Christ does instead of fretting about all those things that are out of my control anyway.  Let me be a person who trusts God to work according to His character.

Grace, Peace, and Mercy,
Deb