Psalm 119: 7-8 Singing Sands

Scripture:
I shall give thanks to You with uprightness of heart,
When I learn Your righteous judgments.
 I shall keep Your statutes;
Do not forsake me utterly! -Psalm 119:7-8, NASB 1995

Observation:
-There is a natural response to learning God's judgments.
-God's judgments are always right.
-There is a fear that God will abandon the psalmist to his sin.

Sand Mountain, Nevada- a singing sand dune. Photo: Ken Davis 2013

Application:
There are some very interesting sand dunes in the world.  They look like any other, but something special happens on occasion.  Ken and I visited this one in Nevada for the second time hoping to hear it sing, but alas there was not a bit of wind.

There are only about 35 locations around the world that produce this phenomena.  While the exact cause remains a mystery it is believed that the sand has to be a certain shape and size, needs to contain silica, and have just the right humidity.

What I love about today's verses is the recognition that on our own we are lacking.  When we add God's statutes to the mix then we are able to truly sing.  God's righteousness is more than just a bunch of rules and regulations for us to follow.  To live according to God's righteousness means that I do not accept sin as a way of life.  I learn to replace my desires to lie, cheat, steal, etc.  I learn to put others needs above my own.  I learn to love as Christ loves us.  
That word "learn" in verse 7 is a key word.  God does not just set us loose without direction.  He has given us a guide for the right way to live our lives.  It is up to us to learn it.  But we cannot succeed in living it apart from God.  Thus the psalmists plea that God not utterly forsake him.  We have no hope apart from God.  Thanks be to God He has provided the way for us to live voctoriously.  Remember all of our recent lessons from Philippians?  Thanks be to God that He chose not to forsake us, to leave us to pay the pirce for our sin, but gave us the way out through His Son Jesus Christ.  Becuase I have confessed Jesus as my Lord, God is already at work perfecting me.  A dear sister in Christ told me yesterday that she was getting better every day; that should be my answer as well.  How am I doing with standing firm in the faith...better every day.  

Christ lives in me and that sets me apart.  There is so much mystery wrapped up in that.  So much that I cannot yet explain, do not yet understand.  I am just like one of those sand dunes that has something special that allows it to sing.  That something that sets it apart from other sand dunes.  How blessed I am to be able to say with the psalmist that I will give thanks to God with uprightness of heart...He does indeed make my heart sing.

Grace, Peace, and Mercy,
Deb