With young couples struggling to save up for a deposit on their first iceberg lettuce1, and firefighters dressed in full PPE gear being told they are a threat to public health2, it’s no wonder that people are feeling a little disorientated. And perhaps that was the point all along.
Locked up, let out, locked up, let out, lied to, threatened, made unemployed, immobile, bankrupt, homeless and helpless, the wisdom of man has once more been exposed as unstable as water, ship-wrecking those who choose to ride the wave.
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. (Proverbs 14:12)
But as the world continues to rock and reel under the weight of one manufactured crisis after another, there is a new community, which is actually a very old community, that, despite experiencing the same hardships, continues to smile.
These are they who have not anchored their daily lives in the ever-changing laws and statutes of men but in the unchanging and trustworthy laws and statutes of the Lord.
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The commandments of the Lord are pure, enlightening the eyes. (Psalm 19:8)
The statutes of the Lord are right.
The word here rendered statutes properly means mandates, rules given by God to direct our steps in a way that, though it often appears contrary to the world, proves wise long-term.
The one who turns on his heels and begins to walk according to the statutes of God is a happy man. Not because he got it right, but because he now sees the rock solid reliability of those statutes.
They were trusted, and they proved themselves to be true. And so the happy heart rejoices.
The commandments of the Lord are pure.
That is, unlike us, they are free from stain and corruption and imperfection. And being pure they are able to purify the heart and conscience of the man who submits himself to them (1 Peter 1:22).
Do you want a trouble-free conscience? Do you long for a heart that no longer trembles with shame or shudders with whispering guilt?
The commandments of God not only reveal our sinfulness but also open our eyes to the possibility of mercy. And this is what makes them bright.
Like the woman who finds the coin she had lost, the eyes of those who find the goodness in the commandments of God become wide with gladness.
The word of the Lord gives strength. The word of the Lord brings relief. The word of the Lord steadies the feet and settles the heart. It rides above the circumstances and anchors the soul.
And the world looks on, scratching its head.
1 $10 for a Lettuce and Sky High Fuel
2 RFS NSW Volunteers Face Mandatory Vaccine
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Danuta Champness says
Dear David, thank you once again for your wise words. I am SO grateful that Jesus loves me!
Today is Robert’s 78th birthday and we are going to walk to Charlestown Square for lunch as a small celebration. He is keeping well as am I.
Love to you, Gail and your lovely family,
Danuta