Keep Your Eyes Peeled for the Next Phase of the Journey

This post’s passage reference: Psalm 119:54-58

A friend and I were talking about travel. They have traveled quite a bit and are a seasoned traveler. I used to be a seasoned traveler, but really have not traveled much for the past thirty years. Do I miss it? Honestly, no. I loved having the opportunity to get out there and see the world; but I much better, now, love being home. 

Most of my travel was business related, although I did my share of travel for pleasure. At one point I was in the Atlanta airport so often that this guy in a cafe I usually stopped in would see me coming down the hall and say, “Here comes Knoxville.” Being in that airport either meant I had finished the first phase of my journey, or I was getting ready to begin the last towards home.

When you travel a lot, you learn the rules, the tips and tricks to have a successful journey.  The psalmist in Psalm 119:54-58, is talking about how he was attempting to complete a successful journey. He first recognized that he was but a pilgrim walking through a strange land.  He filled the temporary dwelling place where he was staying on his journey with music—songs of the statutes God had given him. The name of the Lord was constantly on his mind and in his heart. Even when the darkness of that foreign land surrounded him, he cherished the Law of his Lord. 

He found that he could keep the name of the Lord and His Law close to his heart because he had followed the rules, the precepts that had been given by God. The psalmist declares that the guidance the Lord had given him was enough.  He re-affirmed his devotion and proclaimed that he would continue to honor the Word of the Lord. The key that may have made his journey easier could have been that he sought the favor of the Lord with his whole heart. He desired to receive the mercy that the Lord promised to those that love Him and that keep His commands. 

The challenge in this passage for those of us that follow Christ could simply be to keep from getting too attached to this “far country” that we are journeying through. The thing is, it is temporary for all of us. We are traveling through here for a reason. It is like we are on a business trip for our job; our job being a major marketing blitz for Jesus. We all have a brief case with us, and in that brief case are the tools that God placed in it when He sent us on our journey—you remember those “tools,” otherwise known as gifts. For some of us, opening that brief case has gotten to be the lesser part of our journey. Every one of us has something or some “things” stashed away in there. We need to find the key or the combination, get it open, dust off our gift(s) and get busy. 

How can we apply this to our lives?  The psalmist in this passage was recounting about his earthly journey. We would do well to apply the principles that he used on our journey as well. His foundation was to use God’s statutes, His directions. They will also provide guidance and an unshakeable source of support for us. We must realize that our journey will not be all sunshine and light. There will be some dark times where we will do well to seek God and lean on His promises to us. He will always be there for us. We just need to find time to check in and give Him a little love, because He has given us the greatest Love of all. 

What does this mean to my faith? Very close to my heart, I find that my faith is strengthened when I read in God’s Word that He is there for me in the dark times, for me—even in the dark. It enhances my relationship with Him when I read that He will honor my worship of Him, and have mercy on me, especially when I worship through the dark times. 

Lord, I praise You for being a God of mercy to those that honor You. I do so want to continually seek Your face and Your favor. I want to lean in on You and listen to Your Word.  I am so thankful that You are the Light that I need as I journey along this bumpy road called life and head on to the next phase, and the next, and the next until I hit the road for the final journey,

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 “54 Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage. 55 I have remembered thy name, O Lord, in the night, and have kept thy law. 56 This I had, because I kept thy precepts. 57 Thou art my portion, O Lord: I have said that I would keep thy words. 58 I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.” Psalm 119:54-58

“Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”  Psalm 119:165 (KJV)

“With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.” Psalm 119:10 (KJV) 

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I feel that since God has given me the gift of this platform, I must always tell you about my Jesus.  

What is your relationship to the all-knowing God of the universe?  Do you know Jesus? Do you know the peace that can come only from an intimate relationship with Him?  You can know Him.  Jesus Christ, God’s Son, born into human flesh, sinless, crucified and giving His life freely, buried, arisen on the third day, will come into your life and change the outcome of your eternity.  You just have to be willing to believe and accept His truth.  

Here is an excellent website that can give you additional information about making your decision for Jesus Christ!  PeaceWithGod.net

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