Reading

This will be sharing what I read this morning; and how it spoke to me.  It's from Psalms 119.  Anywhere it says 'your law' or 'your commandments' or 'your statutes' or 'your testimonies' or 'your ordinances' - I want you to read it 'your instructions' as though the Bible is a manual you would use to learn how to operate something like a bread maker and the use of those words is a problem of translation.  God's intention's were to give you a 'road map' or 'manual' for Life.

²⁹Remove from me the way of falsehood and unfaithfulness [to You], and graciously impart Your law to me.
God, I've noticed that we all seem to have such little control over things that sometimes pop out of our mouths - like lies; sometimes they seem to be there so quickly . . . and afterward we justify it in our minds or ask Your forgiveness, then berate ourselves for it's happening.  Here, the writer asks You to remove this from him.  Since You have the ability to change anything, subject only to our choices, here his choice is for You do it - not that You HELP HIM do it.  This is so different from how we strive so hard to change ourselves; and often with such LITTLE success.  This is so simple.  I CHOOSE that You use your power to remove this uncontrollable 'thing' from me.  And also asking that You graciously give me directions.

 ³⁰I have chosen the way of truth and faithfulness; Your ordinances have I set before me. 
Here again is that fact that I HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE and that You will not force anything upon me, or even 'fix' anything in my life without MY CHOICE.  So, I choose Your way.  I have Your manual sitting in front of me.

³¹I cleave to Your testimonies; O Lord, put me not to shame!
I put all my hope of changing anything on the fact that I believe Your instructions are the right ones; so, God don't let me look like an idiot in front of everyone.  I'm counting on You to make good on this.

³²I will [not merely walk, but] run the way of Your commandments, when You give me a heart that is willing.
I'm going to have 'runaway' success from using Your instructions, because my heart and mind are completely open to You as as result of You changing me.

³³Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I will keep it to the end [steadfastly].
If You teach me, God, the real way that life is supposed to work, then You will also make me able to do it for the rest of my life.

I know there are lots of translations of the Bible to make it easier to read and understand; but I like the way God, Himself interprets it to me.  He can use the same verse in a million different circumstances.  It is acutally 'living word'.  It is definately not just words on paper.